Nara
by RachyDoodle
Summary: After being placed in the Witness Protection Programme, Bella Swan is sent to live with the Cullens. But when even the Cullens or their son Edward cannot keep her safe, what will she do? BxE All human. Canon pairing
1. Prologue

_Hi folks!_

_This is my newest attempt at a Twilight fanfiction and I'm really looking forward to writing this story. I hope it goes well and I hope you all enjoy it._

_This chapter is merely the prologue, so the other chapters will be much longer than this. Stick with it guys, hopefully this should be good._

_Read, review and enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but if anyone is stuck on what to buy me for Christmas...._

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Let me tell you a story…

There was once a girl, a happy girl, the most happiest girl in all the world. She had nothing to complain about. Her life was as perfect as it could possibly be and she wouldn't have changed it for anything.

She had everything she could possibly want. Good health, great friends and the two most wonderful parents in the whole entire world, who she loved very dearly. She lived in a good home, her grades put her at the top of her class and she was no stranger to male admirers. She woke up with a smile and fell asleep with a smile. So, indeed, it was quite obvious that this girl had every reason to be happy.

She had not a care in the world, so long as she was surrounded by this perfect life that she loved so much.

Her mother was like her best friend, like a child in an adult's body, but the girl didn't mind this. Any moment that she could share with her mother was a blessing and she would share moments with her at every chance that she could. She loved her mother so very much. They would shop together, go out together, watch movies, listen to music. The bond they shared with each other was strong and it clearly showed. Even through the times when the roles were swapped, and the girl became the parent and the mother became the child, their bond remained as strong as ever. If anything, it grew stronger. The mother was the girl's world.

She felt very much the same for her father. He was her daddy, her hero, the one she looked up too. They always say that a father is a daughter's first love and a son's first hero. Well this rang true for the girl. There really was no other man like her father. She looked more like her father than her mother and shared many of his character traits. Yet these similarities in their personalities brought them closer together. It's like the girl and her father understood each other. It was a special bond they shared. She wouldn't change him for the world and she loved him with all her heart.

They were such a close family and they made the girl beam with love.

It had been the girl's birthday a few months previous, she had turned 17. It wasn't the most important birthday in the world compared to others, but her family and friends had still showered her with joy, happiness, and love, almost as if it were something as big as a sweet sixteenth or a twenty first. Presents and cards were sent and received and a little party also took place. It was just a few close family and friends. Yet the girl appreciated it so much and was filled with so much love. Her life really was perfect.

A performance of her favorite book, Wuthering Heights, was due to be played at the local theatre in a few weeks, so for her birthday, her parents had brought her tickets to the show. She was elated and accepted them with many thanks. The night had finally arrived for the show to take place. The theatre was a mere 10 minute walk from their home and since they lived in sunny Arizona, the night was warm and clear. The girl was giddy with excitement as the family walked down the road, heading for the show. She was shaking with anticipation. Her mother told her to calm down, but the girl found that she could not. She just kept grinning.

That was the moment her life changed forever.

It happened so quickly that she almost missed it. Yet the memory of it would live with her for the rest of her life.

The empty quiet street suddenly came to life as a big black shiny van came skidding round the corner and halted to a stop right before them. The family froze as it did this, panic in all their eyes. They retreated back as far as they could, the father standing in front of the mother and girl, protecting his family.

Two men stepped out of the van. One was tall and dark skinned, his hair platted into dreadlocks. The other had long blonde greasy hair, tied behind his head. The smile on his face looked sinister. The girl's happy grin had faded long ago.

It was almost like a scene from a movie, too good to be true.

The girl heard her mother whisper in her ear to run, almost as if the mother knew that this encounter would not end well. Yet the girl did not move. She knew that her mother was right, she should have ran, her mother had her best interests at heart after all. She disobeyed her and stayed with her family, her feet refusing to move, too scared to leave her parents behind. She clasped onto her mother's hand as tightly as possible, her whole body shaking in fear at the sight of these obviously dangerous men.

The girl, even though not a religious person, silently prayed in her head. She prayed for the safety of the family and for them to walk away from this drama unscathed and unharmed. If that was the only wish she was allowed in life, then she prayed it came true, for all their sakes.

Yet, her worst fears suddenly came to life as the man with the long blonde hair pulled a gun out from the inside of his jacket. He pulled the mother away from the girl and shot the woman point blank, in the middle of her forehead. She limply fell to the ground making no noise. She was silent.

Speckles of blood splattered over the girl's face as her mother's life ended. She watched as she fell to the ground, staring with wide eyes and utter shock before letting out an almighty scream of terror. Tears streamed down her young face, not quite believing what had just taken place.

Her father's words, telling her to run, broke her from her frozen and shocked state. This time she listened and her feet began to move without her mind registering it. She ran as fast as she possibly could down the street, turning her head to see if she was being followed. Indeed she was, by the dark skinned man. Behind him, she saw her father being bound and gagged and thrown into the black of the black van. Kidnapped.

She ran as fast as her young legs would carry her, knowing a fully grown man, who looked athletic and fit, was following close behind. She was tired and out of breath, but this motivated her to move. She knew that if she didn't, she would suffer the same fate as her poor mother and father. She knew exactly where she was heading. The Police Station. She knew that she would be safe there. It was only a few blocks away.

The journey there seemed to take forever, her legs pushing as hard as they could, falling tears blurring her vision. She heard the footsteps behind her getting louder, so she knew the man was getting closer. She ran and ran and ran until her destination was in sight. After what had just happened, she could not muster a smile at the sight of her haven. She ran in, screaming, noticing the man had not followed her. She assumed he had left, knowing there was no way he could get her here. For this, she was grateful.

An Officer came straight to her aid after hearing her scream. When he saw the blood across her face, he immediately called for help.

Her night at the Police Station was a long one. She recalled her story several times to different people in different rooms, the story never getting any easier to tell. She was allowed to clean herself up and sort herself out and was given food, drink and a blanket to keep warm, even though she didn't need it. Yet the shock of it all had not allowed her to show any emotions. She was blank, numb, afraid that if any emotion were to show itself, she would come completely undone and would breakdown. She needed to make sense of everything before she could emotionally except what had happened.

The police were concerned for the girl's safety, the men were still following her after all. With her parents dead and missing and her safety at the forefront of their minds, they decided what to do for the best would be to place her in a Witness Protection Programme. This would keep her safe till the men were found and put away forever. The girl was saddened and frightened by this, but she knew that it was for the best. After all, just like her mother, the police had her best interests at heart. She would be placed with a loving and caring family, far away from Arizona, until the men were found.

What had started as one of the best days of the girl's life had finished the worst. In the space of mere minutes, she had lost her mother, saw her father kidnapped by sinister strangers and found herself shipped half way across the country for her own safety and protection.

That's the story! It's a sad story, I know, but it's _my_ story.

Hi, I'm Bella Swan and today, I'm going to Forks, Washington to meet my new 'family'.


	2. Can't stop the rain

_Hi folks, and welcome to the second chapter of 'Nara'. I hope you are all enjoying it so far!_

_A huge thank you to Jazzie aka Mina, sprinter1, vampyregurl09 and xhiddenvampirex for reviewing the first chapter. Also thanks to everyone who reviewed and alerted._

_So this is the second chapter. It's named after the song 'Can't stop the rain' by Cascada. It's a bit of a dance tune really, but I think the title goes well with what happens in the chapter. It's a good song anyway._

_Enjoy…_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but I do plan to spend a very pleasant evening with Robert Pattinson. Sadly, he won't be here in person, he will only be on my television screen ):_

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Bella Swan's Point of View

The second I stepped off the plane, I could tell I wasn't in Arizona anymore. The cold temperature hit me like a slap round the face and I automatically shivered. I hoped it was due to the cold and not the sign of a bad omen. That was the last thing I wanted right now. I was scared enough as it was.

I took a good look around me before realizing I had no idea where I was going, so with a deep sigh, I just followed the crowd, assuming they were all heading in the same direction. Everyone needed their baggage, didn't they? I hoisted my rucksack further up my shoulder and began to walk, praying that I was heading the right way.

Seattle Airport was massive, the sounds echoing off the walls. The corridors were full of talking people, all scrambling to fetch their bags and get out. I knew that one wrong turn would get me lost in here and I was a pretty clumsy person, so I knew the likelihood of me getting lost was pretty high. So I just kept my head down and continued following everyone else.

In no time at all, I heard the whirling of the baggage carousals and knew I was in the right place. I joined the rest of the gathered crowd, waiting for my suitcase to appear behind those plastic flaps, no doubt damaged. I didn't need a trolley; I only had the one suitcase. Shows how exciting my worldly possessions are, hey? I only brought with me what I needed. Hopefully, I wouldn't be staying in Forks for long, a few weeks, a few months tops. I just wanted those men found quickly so that I could return home, back to sunny Phoenix. So I just stood there, ready and waiting.

After a long, arduous wait, my suitcase finally showed itself. I ran to the carousel and picked it up, pulling the long handle out so I could trail it behind me. I placed it on the floor and inspected it. No damage, well that's a surprise! I was expecting a hole in the side of it, a dent at least. Maybe luck was on my side today. Feeling a little more confident, I grabbed the handle and began to pull it out of the baggage area and headed for arrivals, where I knew Mr. Cullen would be waiting for me.

I didn't know very much about the family who I would be staying with, I had only been given the basics. I knew that there was Mr. and Mrs. Cullen and their three children, two boys and one girl and that they lived in Forks, Washington. I was told I would get to know the family better during the stay, so I just took in whatever information they gave me, as miniscule as it was. But I was also told not to get too close to them; I wouldn't be staying there forever after all. I would get just close enough.

So here I was, the freezing cold Arizona girl, who had no family, just pulling along the one suitcase. What a joy!

I slowly entered arrivals and was met by another crowd of people, obviously waiting for their family members or friends to appear. Fat chance they had, especially with how slow the bags were coming through. They could be waiting all week for all they knew.

I had no idea what Mr. Cullen looked like, so I was hoping he knew me. I just stood there, a little nervous and began to scan the crowd for someone who looked like they recognised me. I really was beginning to feel like a bit of an idiot. That's when I spotted a man and, in true movie style, he was holding a sign with my name on it. Isabella Swan. That had to be Mr. Cullen.

I made my way over to him apprehensively, pulling my suitcase behind me and I stopped when I reached him.

"Isabella Swan?" he asked me.

"Erm… yes," I replied.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Swan," he told me, holding his hand out for me to shake. He was very welcoming. "I'm Mr. Cullen, but please, call me Carlisle."

"Ok," I smiled. I could not believe how good looking Mr. Cullen was. Tall, handsome, blonde hair, blue eyes. He had to be over 40, but he looked like a super model!

"Shall I take that?" he asked me, breaking me from my thoughts. I looked and saw he was gesturing to my suitcase. He had manners too.

"Oh, thank you," I said, handing it over to him. He took it with a smile.

"If you're ready then Isabella, we shall be on our way."

"Ok," I replied. "And… it's Bella."

"Of course," he smiled as we began to head out of the airport.

I could see the pouring rain through the automatic doors and definitely knew I was no longer in Arizona now. The weather here was so different. No blazing sun was going to be heading my way anytime soon. Just the freezing cold and the pouring rain. I was going to have to get used to this.

As we headed out the doors, the rain never managed to hit me as Mr. Cullen automatically put up an umbrella and held it over our heads, sheltering us from the bad weather. I had a funny feeling I might have to invest in my own umbrella during my stay.

"Sorry about the rain, Bella," he told me as if it were his fault it was tipping it down. "I don't expect you get much of it in Phoenix."

"Not really," I replied forcing a smile. No, we didn't get much rain at all back home.

Our walking continued as we headed over to one of the many car parks at the airport. It really was a massive place and I was thankful that I didn't get lost. I had no idea what sort of car Mr. Cullen drove, so I just let him lead the way, making sure to stay under the umbrella at all times. It was a big umbrella, so it wasn't that difficult. I couldn't quite believe my eyes as he pulled the keys out of his pocket, pressed a button and a car's lights began to flash.

He drove a Mercedes!

It was beautiful, all shiny and black, drops of rain covering it like a coat. This family must be rich as hell!

I knew I was staring in shock too much when Mr. Cullen began to chuckle at my behavior. I looked up to see him staring at me.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" he asked. All I could do was nod. This car was amazing.

"Why don't you get on in, Bella and I'll put your suitcase away."

"Yes, sir," I said, opening the passenger side door and getting in. If I thought the outside looked nice, then the inside was amazing. Black leather interior, all shiny and new. It was so clean and wonderful. A small smile graced my lips. I was definitely going to be driving in style! I heard the driver side door open and Mr. Cullen slipped in, putting on his seatbelt. I decided it was best I did the same and followed suit.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Uh-huh," I said and with that he started up the engine, reversed, left the car park and headed down the road.

The car was silent for a while, the only sound being that of the engine and the heating system, which he had put on to warm up my cold body. It was quite relaxing really. It sure was a whole lot better than my big old truck back home. I did miss it, but right now, I'd rather be in this Mercedes, all cozy and warm. Mr. Cullen decided to speak.

"So Bella, how much have you been told about my family?"

"Not much," I said truthfully. "Just that you're married with three children."

"Right," he said thoughtfully. "Well, I'm sure my wife would like to tell you everything, she is very excited you know, but I'm sure I can cover the basics. My name is Carlisle and I work as a doctor at the local hospital."

Wow, a doctor! Now that was impressive. No wonder he could afford a Mercedes.

"My wife, Esme, is an interior designer and we have three children. Emmett, Edward and Alice. Emmett is 19, Edward is 18 and Alice is 16. Edward and Alice both attend Forks High, whilst Emmett is in his first year at college."

"Does he live with you?" I asked, knowing most people who go to college tend to move away.

"Oh, yes," he replied. "He goes to college in Seattle, so it's only a short drive away."

"That's good," I replied, trying to make conversation.

"Yes, yes it is," Mr. Cullen smiled.

The rest of the journey was spent in silence as we made our way to the house, the rain constantly hitting off the windows. I was sort of eager to see what the house looked like. If this was the car they drove, what kind of house must they live in? Probably a lot bigger than the one me and my parents shared back home.

I really liked Mr. Cullen and so was wondering what the rest of the family would be like. I glanced over at my watch and realized it was shortly after lunch time, so I knew the children would not be back from school yet. I would have to wait to meet them. I hoped Mrs. Cullen was nice too. I had a feeling I would be meeting her very soon… my new 'mom'.

We suddenly turned off the main road and began to head up a long driveway, surrounded by trees and flowers. Even with the rain, the area seemed really beautiful. That's when I saw the house.

Oh. My. God.

It was huge. It was all white and old fashioned looking, very beautiful. I was completely amazed. Who was this family?!

Mr. Cullen pulled alongside the house and turned the engine off. He got out of the car and headed into the trunk to retrieve my suitcase. I got out, grabbing my rucksack along the way and shut the car door. I was gaping at the house the entire time. He headed up the porch, me following, and opened the door with a key.

"After you," he said. I stepped into the house, Mr. Cullen right behind me as he shut the door. The inside was amazing, all whites and creams, matching the outside. The furniture looked so expensive. I swear, this was all a dream. I stood in the foyer and gripped my bag tighter.

"Esme, sweetheart," Mr. Cullen shouted nowhere in particular. "We're home." He set my suitcase down and folded the handle away.

I heard a noise from by the stairs and looked up to see a woman descending them, a large smile on her face. She was looking right at me.

"Hello, you must be Isabella," she asked me. She reached me and suddenly embraced me in a hug. I was a little taken aback by it, but relaxed after a while, knowing she was just being welcoming and nice.

"Yes, I am," I replied when the hug ended.

"Well, my name is Esme and it's so lovely to meet you dear. Welcome to our home," she smiled. She turned to Carlisle. "Honey, will you take Isabella's things to her room?"

"Of course," he replied, kissing his wife's cheek and taking my suitcase upstairs. He was then out of sight.

"Well, you must be hungry dear, do you want something to eat?"

"No thank you," I replied. "I ate on the plane."

"Very well," she said. "Did you have a nice flight?"

"Yeah, it was fine," I said.

I liked Esme. She was a very beautiful woman, with caramel hair and green eyes and she seemed very kind too. Even after knowing her for about 2 minutes, I could tell she was very sweet and loving.

"That's good. Well everyone won't be back from school for a few hours, so how about I give you a tour of the house and then show you to your room, Isabella?"

"Sounds good… and it's Bella," I replied. I had a feeling I was going to be saying that a lot today.

"Oh, I am sorry dear," she apologized. Yes, I really liked Esme.

We headed to the kitchen first as it was to the right of the foyer and so the easiest place to start. It was huge with an island counter in the middle. It's the kind of kitchen my mom would have liked. I wondered if I would be able to cook in here. I loved to cook and I was sure Esme would let me at some point. We then went into the dining room, which a had large brown wooden table, surrounded by seats. It was large and very good looking. The next room on our tour was the laundry room. It was a reasonable size with a washing machine and dryer. Esme told me not to worry about my washing and assured me that she would do it all. We walked past Carlisle's office next, but we didn't go in. Next was a small room with a few shelves and pictures upon the wall, almost like a second living room. The main feature of this room though, was the piano in the middle of it. It was shiny and black and one of those that you could lift the lid on.

"It's Edward's," Esme told me, answering the unasked question I was wondering. "It's very precious to him."

The open wall of this room led us straight to the living room. It was huge with a large plasma television. There was a sofa and two chairs to complete the set. We carried on through the room till we hit the foyer again. We had gone full circle.

This house really was impressive. I was sure I would get lost in it. I wondered if the Cullen's supplied a map?!

"Shall we head upstairs?" she asked me. I just nodded with a smile and we began our journey. As we got to the top, I noticed a room to my left which Esme explained was her own and Carlisle's room. We turned right and continued to walk down the hall way. On the left was Emmett's room and directly opposite was Alice's. Next to Alice's was the bathroom, which, as I expected, was huge. It had a shower AND a bath. Continuing down the hallway, Esme pointed out that my room was next to the bathroom and directly opposite my room was Edward's.

"So that's our house!" she told me cheerily.

"It's very nice," I commented. Nice? It was amazing. I couldn't even begin to think how much this place must have cost.

"Well thank you dear," she smiled as she walked over to my bedroom door. She opened it and we stepped inside. It was very nice. It was simply decorated and had all the necessities. A bed, wardrobe, draws, a full size mirror, plasma TV, shelves… hang on a sec, plasma TV? I had to do a double take to make sure I had seen it properly. Yes, my room really had a plasma TV! Someone pinch me!

"This is your room Bella," Esme began, bringing me back to reality. "It's the room we usually use for anyone we take in or any guests we have. I hope its ok for you."

"It's wonderful," I said, which made her smile.

I did wonder why Esme and Carlisle took in people in the Witness Protection Programme. I knew I wasn't the first one who had stayed with them and it was a question that was playing on my mind. I knew it was something I would ask at a later date.

"Well, I better let you settle in dear, I'm sure you want to unpack." I looked around the room and noticed my suitcase standing next to my double bed. I had a double bed!

"Ok," I told her.

"Alice and Emmett won't be long now and I'm sure they will want to meet you, so I would get done what you can now!" she joked.

I smiled at this before something else came to mind. "What about Edward? Won't he be home?"

"He plays piano in the school orchestra. They practice after school, so he won't be home till a little later on."

"Oh right," I said.

"He's very good at playing," she said, her mind clearly wondering somewhere. "I love to hear him play."

"That sounds nice, I can't wait to meet them all," I said calmly, even though I was as nervous as hell about meeting the Cullen children. What if they didn't like me? Or we argued? What if I was totally different to them? Who knew, I would find out soon enough.

"They can't wait to meet you either dear," Esme happily told me, but suddenly, her face dropped a little. "But I do have to warn you about Edward."

Warn me about Edward? That can't be good. "What do you mean"

"If he seems a little distant or moody with you, just ignore him."

"Ok?" I said, though it came out more like a question.

"I hope he doesn't, but he does have his reasons. I don't want to worry you, it's just I thought I should warn you."

"Thanks," I told her. Great! I hadn't even met the guy and he already hated me. Way to go Bella!

"Alice and Emmett are excited though, especially Alice." I smiled at the thought of the Cullen daughter. I didn't know much about her but I hoped we could be friends. Apart from Esme, she would be the only female companion I had and she was definitely the only female I would have who was around my age.

"Oh, and we haven't told them the reason why you're in the Witness Protection Programme. We figured it might be something you want to tell them yourself when the time is right."

I just nodded at this, thankful that Esme hadn't told them my story. I didn't want to think about it at the minute. I had enough to worry about. I was sure though that I would end up telling the Cullen children when the time was right.

"Well I better let you get to it," Esme told me finally. "Just shout me or Carlisle if you need anything."

"I will," I said. Esme gave me another quick hug and a kind smile before she left the room, closing the door behind her.

For the first time since I entered the house, I was alone. I let out a deep breath and began to empty my suitcase, letting everything I had seen and everything I had been told, sink in.

As I began to hang my clothes in the wardrobe, my mind reflected on the house. Mansion more like! I couldn't believe I was living here. I've been used to a small, two bedroom house in sunny Phoenix. Now I'm living in a four bedroom 'mansion' in rainy Forks with a family who own a Mercedes. It was incredible. I couldn't believe how lucky I was.

With everything in the wardrobe, I began to put my tops away in the draws, this time my mind reflecting on the people. Mr. and Mrs. Cullen were so kind and generous, not a bad bone in their body in my opinion. Emmett and Alice sounded nice too. It was just Edward I worried about. What was so bad about me that he would hate me already? I hadn't even met him! Esme did say he had a good reason and a big part of me wanted to find that reason out.

_All in good time, Bella. All in good time._

All of a sudden, I heard the front door open, then close and the voices off two new people carried through the house.

"MOM!" a deep male voice shouted. "WE'RE HOME." This, I assumed, was Emmett.

"Is she here, is she here?" I heard the female voice say, a little quieter than the male voice. Alice had a very feminine voice. It was very sweet.

"She's in her room," Esme said. "Now don't go scaring her, she already seems nervous." Esme wasn't wrong, I was really nervous.

"I won't," Alice said as I heard her feet ascending the stairs. The footsteps got closer until they finally came to a stop. A knocking noise told me she was right outside my door. Hoping my nerves would fade away, I slowly walked over to the door and gently opened it.

I was greeted by a short girl, she couldn't have been 5 feet tall. She had short black hair with cute little spikes. Just like her parents, she was very pretty. A large grin played on her lips.

"Hi," she greeted me. "You must be Isabella, I'm Alice."

"Erm, hi," I said to her, moving out of the way so that she could step into the room. She did. She automatically wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tightly.

"I'm so happy to meet you. I know that we are going to be best friends."

"Uh, yeah, I hope so too," I replied through deep breathes. For a little person, she was very strong. I was grateful when she finally let go.

"Hey, pixie, you're gonna kill her," a voice chuckled from my door way. I looked over to see Emmett standing there. He was very tall and muscular with curly brown hair. I looked at his face. What was with this family? They were all drop dead gorgeous! It made me feel quite plain really.

"You must be Emmett," I said.

"The one and only!" he grinned. "And you must be Isabella."

"Yes, but please, call me Bella." I might just tattoo it on my forehead. That way I wouldn't have to keep repeating myself. I knew it wasn't their fault, but it was getting a bit annoying.

"Well it's nice to meet you, Bella," he said, poking Alice in the ribs for hugging me so tightly. She responded by trying to tickle him, but all to no avail.

I was really beginning to like the Cullen children. They seemed nice and lively and polite. You could tell that they were a very close family. Maybe this stay wouldn't be so bad after all.

"I really like your hair!" Alice said once she had given up on Emmett, the sentence coming from nowhere. "It's so long and pretty. Maybe we could go shopping and find you a pretty dress to flatter it… or some shoes… or a bag."

"And that's my cue to leave," Emmett interrupted. I couldn't help but smile at this. "I'll catch you girls later." He gave us a quick wink before heading down the hallway and into his room.

I turned back to Alice who was still reeling off what we were going to shop for. I hoped this shopping trip wouldn't actually happen. I hated shopping. It bored me to death. I'd rather curl up with a good book, but from the happy look on Alice's face, I knew this trip would be happening soon. Maybe it would be fun… maybe.

"So, how do you like everyone?" she asked me when she finally got shopping off her mind.

"Everyone seems really nice and your house is beautiful."

"Good, mom designed it," she told me. "I suppose all you have left to meet now is Edward, huh?"

"Yeah," I said quietly, not at all sure if I really wanted to meet him. The rest of the family were so kind and welcoming. Why was he so different?

"Just ignore him if he's a jackass to you. He's like that with most of the witnesses we take in."

"I know, your mom said," I told her.

"Well I'm warning you too. I don't know why he would be like that around you though, I think your really nice!"

"Thank you Alice," I said, her statement boosting my confidence a little.

"No problem!" she grinned. "Well I better go, I have stupid history homework to do and even though it's Friday, it will probably take me all weekend to do it. And just to let you know, mom usually cooks dinner for around 7pm, so I'll catch you later."

"Ok, see you later, Alice," I replied.

She kissed me on the cheek and skipped out of the room, closing the door behind her and I was left alone again.

I liked Alice and Emmett. They were so kind to me and I knew that they would become good friends to me, especially Alice, but I was still concerned over the second warning I had been given about Edward. What had I done to make him act this way? Was it because I was a stranger in his home? Maybe he didn't like new people. A big part of me was hoping that the more he got to know me, the more he would like me.

I wasn't sure, but as the rain cascaded down my window like a mini waterfall, I was certain about one thing…

My stay at the Cullen house was definitely going to be interesting.


	3. Pushin' me away

_Hi everyone!_

_A huge thank you to Caitlin S., sprinter1 and Jazze aka Mina for reviewing the last chapter. Also, thank you to everyone who alerted and favorited my story :D_

_I really love to hear what you guys think about my work and the reviews make me so happy and motivate me to write more, so if we can get a few more reviews, that would be amazing._

_This chapter is named after 'Pushin' me away' by the Jonas Brothers. Awesome song! I love it!_

_So this is where me meet the infamous Edward or should I say Bella meets the infamous Edward._

_Lets see what happens, shall we…._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fan-fiction, I would be spending my millions!_

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Bella Swan's Point of View

One hour and 12 minutes later, I was finally unpacked and settled in. My clothes were all put away and little things like toiletries and accessories were all placed in appropriate places. The room looked good.

Once my suitcase was empty, I wasn't quite sure what I would do with it. It wasn't exactly big, but it wasn't exactly small either. I did what I thought was best and put it at the bottom of the wardrobe. It would be a friend for the two pairs of shoes I had brought with me. I had a funny feeling however, that Alice was going to make my shoe collection a little bigger after the inevitable shopping trip we would be going on. I was looking forward to it as it would be a good way to bond with Alice, but the shopping aspect of it? Not so much.

I pushed the wardrobe door, closing it with a click and turned around to gaze over my room.

It was a damn sight bigger than my room back home, but what do you expect when I'm living in a house this size? It had a double bed, far too big for me, but it looked warm and comfortable all the same. The wardrobe, Chester draws and bedside table all matched and Esme had been kind enough to supply me with a clock. It was a digital clock with a built in alarm. Sure beats the Mickey Mouse one I had at home. I'd had it since I was 5. The old thing was still working!

The curtains matched the bedspread, a lovely deep purple color. Very pretty. I gazed out of the window and noticed that the rain had slowed down. It was still raining though. I had to remember to get myself an umbrella during mine and Alice's shopping trip. It would be my most important and useful weapon during my stay in Forks.

The full length mirror added a nice touch to the room. It looked really old, like an antique. I fell in love with it instantly. The one thing that shocked me the most though, was the plasma screen TV hanging on my wall. It was huge, covered in so many different buttons. I was too afraid to touch it, scared I might break it. Perhaps Carlisle or Emmett would show me how to work it sometime. For now, I was happy with my books.

Wuthering Heights was on my bedside table, the bookmark keeping the page even though I had read it countless times over the years. I'd had it for a long time, so the pages were turned up at the edges, withering with old age. My parents got it me for my 8th birthday and I loved it from the moment I read it. It was the one possession I would take everywhere with me._ They _brought it me after all.

A single tear fell down my cheek.

Now was not the time to weep however. I had enough on my plate. I needed to find my way around Forks and this house, get to know my new family and meet the infamous Edward. It was a tall order and I was terrified!

A knock suddenly echoed on my door. I glanced at the clock in confusion, realizing it was only 6pm. It wouldn't be anyone calling me for dinner yet.

I walked over to the door and opened it. Alice was standing there, a heartwarming grin playing on her lips.

"Hi, Bella!" she said cheerily. I don't know what it is with Alice, but she always seemed very happy.

"Erm, hi, Alice," I replied as best I could, still confused as to why she was here. She said herself that she wouldn't see me till dinner, and I thought she had homework to do.

"Are you finished unpacking?"

"Uh-huh," I told her, nodding my head.

"Good! So, I was wondering if you want to do something until dinner is done," she said to me.

Do something? Well, I thought it would be nice. If we did something together, we could get to know each other better and become friends. It sure would make me a lot less nervous too. Though, this was Alice. My idea of doing something and her idea of doing something were going to be completely different. Yet, I took a chance. Why not?

"Sure, what did you have in mind?" I asked as she grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the room. She closed the door behind me.

"Well," she began as we walked down the hallway and descended down the stairs. "I was wondering if you like smoothies."

Smoothies? I loved them! Back in Phoenix, me and my friends used to go to the smoothie bar in town after school. The cold smoothies were really good as they helped to cool you down in the blazing heat. I used to make them at home too, just me and mom. Dad brought her a smoothie maker one Christmas, so one day, we decided to try it out. We had no idea what we were doing. We just threw any old fruit in and pressed any buttons we could, hoping for the best. The first few attempts didn't go well. We were experts at it by the end.

"Sure, I love smoothies," I replied.

"Good, because guess what we are doing?" she giggled. We walked into the kitchen and the smoothie maker was already set up. I looked at it. It wasn't the same as my mom's, but it was very similar. I was pretty sure I would figure it out.

"Making smoothies?" I guessed, even though the answer was clearly standing before me.

"Yeah!" Alice said enthusiastically. I swear she is on happy pills! "Isn't this going to be fun?"

I nodded with a smile. I was pretty excited actually. I was looking forward to it.

"Dad brought it for mom, but it's never been used, so I thought we could try it out," she told me as she moved over to the fridge. She opened it up and went to a draw at the bottom. Slowly but surely, she began to pull out different fruits, passing them to me so that I could place them on the island counter in the middle of the kitchen.

The Cullen's had so many different fruits. Apples, strawberries, bananas, raspberries, oranges, you name it. Strawberry and raspberry smoothies had always been my favorite, so I knew that that was the one I was going to make.

Next, she moved onto the freezer and pulled out a big bag of ice. She closed the freezer door and placed the bag onto the counter, next to the pile of fruit.

"Have you ever made smoothies before?" she asked me, gazing at the different fruits.

"Uh, yeah. I used to make them all the time back home," I said.

"Good, because I have no idea what I'm doing," she replied.

I couldn't help but laugh at her innocence and naivety, and her short size and baby face made her seem it all the more. I really liked Alice. I noticed then that she had begun to laugh too. We were both quite alike really and I hoped that I would get to know her better during the course of my stay at the Cullen house. I enjoyed her company.

"Don't worry," I told her with a smile. "I'll help you."

"Thank you, Bella," she said, holding me in a hug. I hugged her back before letting go and gazing at the fruit myself.

"So, what kind of fruit do you like?" I asked her.

"I love strawberries and raspberries," she told me.

"Those are my favorite too," I said happily.

"Wow, that is so weird," she giggled. "We are so alike."

We were really, apart from the fact that she had this obsession with shopping which I definitely did not have. Never had, never would.

"So, strawberry and raspberry smoothies it is then," I declared, picking up the fruit and running them under the tap, making sure that they were clean.

"We can make some now and then make more after dinner," Alice told me. "I can't wait."

"What are we having for dinner anyway?" I asked curiously. I was eager to know what it was the Cullen's ate. I hoped we had the same tastes in food, or else this was going to be a long stay.

"Since it's your first night, we were going to order pizza," Alice smiled.

Yes, we definitely had the same tastes in food. I really was going to enjoy this stay!

"Sounds yummy," I said.

"Sure is. The best pizza in town."

I laughed at her enthusiasm as I turned the tap off and made my way back to her and the smoothie maker.

"So, what do we do first?" Alice asked me, her hands on her hips and concentration on her face. She was really getting into this.

"Well," I began, "Firstly, we chop up the fruit and put it into the smoothie maker."

"Right," Alice said, giving me a salute with her hand, which made me smile. She ran to one of the many draws in the kitchen and pulled out two knives. One for me and one for herself. Once the draw was closed, she headed back over to me and handed me a knife. We automatically began to cut the fruit.

"so, do you like Forks?" Alice asked me, making conversation.

"It's nice," I replied to her. "It rains a lot though."

"Yeah, that tends to happen all the time. It makes your hair frizz. Its really annoying." She pulled an annoyed face which amused me. Frizzy hair didn't bother me. I'd just use the hood of my coat to protect me from the rain, or an umbrella.

"Have you done that?" I asked her, looking down at the fruit.

"Uh-huh," she nodded. "Sure have!"

"Good, now we put it in the smoothie maker."

"Ay ay!" she told me, grabbing the fruit in her hands and dropping it in. The container was about three quarters full. It was just the right amount. "What about ice?"

"Let's see if just using fruit works first," I told her. "We can try ice after dinner."

She nodded at me as I walked to the other side of the kitchen to wipe my hands. They were sticky from the fruit juices. All we needed now was to put the lid on and press go, then tah-dah! Lovely strawberry and raspberry smoothies.

I looked over at Alice and noticed that she was about to press the go button, but at the same time, I also noticed that the lid wasn't on. My eyes widened.

"No, Alice!"

It was to late.

She pressed the button and strawberries and raspberries flew everywhere. The mixture covered the walls, ceiling, counters, floor, not to mention Alice herself and, much to my disapproval, me.

Alice began to scream as the mixture covered the kitchen. I ran as fast as I could to reach the machine. I finally got there and pressed the stop button. The machine stopped moving and the flying mixture came to a stand still.

We were absolutely covered from head to toe!

We both just stood there, still like statues and in complete shock. It was in our hair, all over our clothes, all across our faces. Don't even get me started on the state of the kitchen.

"Whoops," Alice said quietly. It couldn't get any worse than this.

I was wrong.

The front door decided to open at that moment and someone walked in, closing the door behind them. He had bronze hair, which looked totally unruly. It was damp from the rain outside an so was sticking to his forehead a little. He was quite tall and lean and absolutely drop dead gorgeous. No-one could deny him that. He turned his head to the right and looked directly at us with his emerald green eyes.

Edward.

Great! The first time I ever meet the guy and here I am, in his kitchen, with his little sister, the two of us covered in strawberry and raspberry smoothie, looking a complete mess. He looked at Alice in complete confusion. In all fairness, I would do the same if I were him, especially in the situation Alice and I found ourselves in.

"Hi Edward," Alice said, waving at her brother with a smile. "Uh, this is Bella."

I stared at Edward as his eyes moved to look at me. He looked me up and down, taking me in. I felt so exposed, like I was being interrogated. I knew the guy didn't like me very much and that only made it worse. If only I knew the reason why, it would make this whole thing a lot easier. I was determined to find out someday.

After he had finished his silent interrogation, his eyes finally met mine. He gave me a small nod of acknowledgment before looking away, letting out a deep breath and going up the stairs. He was out of sight.

Well, that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. At least he didn't shout at me or tease me or just be generally horrible to me. There was nothing like that at all. Then again, his silence was just as bad, if not worse. The fact that he had just looked at me made me feel as worse as I would have felt if he had teased me or shouted at me. At least that would have been a form of communication. No, all I got was a look and a nod and then he was gone. The silence made me feel terrible. This was going to be hard.

A movement out of the corner of my eye quickly shifted my attention. I looked and saw Alice wipe a bit of the smoothie off of her cheek and give it a taste. She looked at me then with a sympathetic smile.

"Hey, on the Brightside, it tastes pretty good."

She was obviously trying to lighten the mood and it cheered me up a little. She had seen Edward's reaction to me too. She walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder, rubbing it in a kind fashion.

"Just ignore him," she said. I merely nodded with a forced smile. It was sort of hard to ignore someone with that sort of reaction to you. All I could think of was, why?

"Oh my goodness! What happened in here?" a voice suddenly called. We both turned around to see Esme standing there, staring at us in shock, her eyebrows raised.

Alice gave her an innocent smile. "We had a little accident."

"Well I can see that," Esme said. "Are you girls alright?"

We both nodded. We were perfectly fine, just a bit shocked.

"Why don't you go and get cleaned up and we will order the pizza. I'll clean this mess up."

Again, we both nodded.

I felt bad for making Esme clean up our mess. It wasn't her fault after all. It was Alice and I who decided to make the smoothies, so it shouldn't be Esme's job to sort it all out. I tried to protest, but Alice stopped me.

"Bella, why don't you go clean up first. I'll help mom. It's my fault after all."

I couldn't really argue with that.

"Towels are in the cupboard in the bathroom, dear," Esme smiled at me as she moved to get a mop.

I nodded at them before I left the kitchen and made my way up the stairs, carefully making sure that no smoothie got onto the carpets. That's the last thing I wanted to happen right now. I didn't want to make anymore mess.

I reached the top of the stairs and made my way over to the bathroom. I knocked on the door first, making sure that nobody was inside. When I got no reply, I took this as my cue to enter. The room was empty. I entered, locking the door behind me. I walked over to the large wicker cupboard and opened it. It was full of towels of all colors and sizes. I pulled out a large white fluffy one and closed the cupboard.

I decided it would be best to take a shower since it was the quickest and Alice would also want to clean up too.

So with that, I turned on the shower, finding it pretty easy to do so, got undressed and stepped inside. It didn't take me long to get clean. I quickly washed my hair, rinsed and repeated before cleaning my body. In no time at all, I was done. I squeezed my hair, ringing out any excess water and wrapped the towel around my body, securing it well. I then picked up my dirty clothes.

I carefully opened the door, making sure the coast was clear, before running out of the bathroom and into my room at the speed of light. I closed the door behind me and lent on it, glad I had not been caught out. I put my dirty clothes into my washing basket before heading over to my drawers to find something clean to wear.

I suddenly heard the bathroom door close through the walls. I assumed it was Alice.

Finally deciding on a pair of jeans and a plain blue t-shirt, I got dressed. I decided on wearing dark colors. I knew that if we were having pizza, the likelihood of me getting a stain on my clothes was high. If I wore dark colors, any stains would be hard to see. A bit of smart thinking on my part, I believe! I put on a pair of socks too, knowing how cold it could get. I didn't want to get ill on my first night here.

Next, I decided to dry my hair. It didn't really take me long as it was already part-way dry. I was done after about 5 minutes and when I was finished, it was clean, shiny and bouncy. I smiled at the way it had turned out. Not bad really.

Finally deciding I was done, I left my room and made my way downstairs. I entered the living room to see Esme, Emmett and Carlisle in a heated discussion.

"Emmett, you are not having a large pizza all to yourself!" Esme argued.

"But I'm starving," he replied, rubbing his tummy.

"Well then have a side order, garlic bread or something."

"But I don't want a side order."

"Emmett," Esme said sternly.

"Fine," he said defeated. He folded his arms and reclined back into his seat. His face looked a little annoyed. He was sulking like a little child.

Carlisle looked up at me then, noticing my presence in the room. "Hello, Bella. Come on in."

I did just that and sat on the sofa, next to Esme. She looked at me, ready to speak. "What sort of pizza do you want, dear?"

"Cheese is fine," I smiled. That would do me perfectly. Cheese was my favorite kind of pizza. Nice and simple, no need for toppings.

"Right and Edward and Alice share the 'Meat Feast' pizza, right?" Esme asked. Carlisle nodded to her. "Fine, I'll go order it then."

The pizza didn't take that long to come. 30 minutes at the most. Carlisle paid for it before handing it to Esme. Emmett grabbed some plates before we all headed into the dining room. Carlisle quickly went to the foot of the stairs, shouted Edward and joined us in the dining room. We all quickly took a seat, Alice seating herself next to me as Emmett shared the plates out. As Esme shared the pizza out between us, Edward decided to show up. He looked at the pizza.

"Meat feast?" he asked his mother, a smile gracing his lips. It was the first time I had heard him speak and I couldn't help but notice how velvety his voice was. It was one of those voices that was just genuinely pleasant to listen to.

"Of course, dear," his mother replied. He took his seat, ironically opposite me, and grabbed his food, automatically tucking in. We all did the same.

Alice wasn't lying when she said that the pizza was the best in town. It was delicious, some of the best pizza I had ever tasted. The cheese just melted in your mouth.

Conversation slowly started to build between everyone.. Alice kept apologizing to me for the whole smoothie incident. I obviously forgave her. Thinking about it, the whole thing was quite funny really. I bet we looked like a pair of idiots. Edward's reaction to us had confirmed that. Speaking of Edward, I noticed that he hadn't spoken to me throughout the whole meal. Hell, he hadn't even looked at me! It was beginning to get quite irritating. He was deep in conversation with Emmett. It was weird seeing him talk to his brother. He looked so carefree, laughing occasionally. He didn't seem like a bad person, so why was he only like it to me?

"So, Bella," Esme said, interrupting my thoughts. "Are you settling in ok?"

"Yes, thank you," I replied, nibbling on my pizza. I noticed that Edward's smile had faded and his face became blank at the sound of my voice. Jerk!

"Did you find everything that you needed?" Alice asked.

I nodded with a smile, glad that the majority of the family liked me.

"So, tell us a bit about yourself," Esme said.

I suddenly tensed up. Here we go…

"Well," I began. "I'm 17, uh, an only child, I like to read-"

"What do you read?" Esme interrupted me.

"Anything really. Wuthering Heights is my favorite."

"Oh, that was my favorite too. I remember reading it back when I was a teenager."

"You were a teenager?" Emmett said mockingly. His mother gave him a glare, not at all impressed by his joke.

"And I just want to say thank you for taking me in. I'm very grateful to you all," I quickly added. Esme smiled at me so sweetly, obviously touched by my thanks. I really was grateful. Who knows what could be happening to me if I had remained in Phoenix. Those men would have caught me in no time. I was so glad that the Cullen's had brought me into their home. They were keeping me safe.

Edward just snorted at my words. I looked over at him and saw that he was still glancing at his food, taking bites of it occasionally. Suddenly I felt Alice kick him from under the table. He winced in pain and looked up at her.

"What?" he asked, confused by what he had done. Alice just gave him a glare. He looked at her and just shook his head before continuing to eat. I let out a deep sigh. This situation was just getting worse.

After we finished eating, we all retired to the living room for the night. Emmett was adamant we watched some film he had brought that day. It was filled with guns and car chases. I wasn't interested in it at all, but I watched it all the same. Some parts were quite funny whilst most of it was full of action. I was just enjoying the company of the Cullen's mostly… well, most of them.

He didn't look my way all night, just ignored me the whole time. I was beginning to get just as annoyed with him as he was with me. He could at least give me a chance couldn't he. Maybe if he got to know me, he would like me and we could be friends. No, he would rather ignore me and make little comments here and there. It was uncomfortable.

When the film was finished, we all said good night to each other. Emmett and Carlisle wished me good night, Alice hugged me whilst Esme gave me a kiss on the cheek. Edward did the usual and ignored me, skulking off to his room. I finally went to mine and, after getting my night clothes on, went to my bed and got under the covers.

As I lay there that night, in the dark, trying to get to sleep, I reflected on the day. The Cullen's were so lovely. Carlisle was so compassionate and kind, Esme was so sweet and loving, Emmett was so nice and funny and Alice was just plain wonderful. I really did enjoy the smoothie making, as disastrous as it was!

As I fell asleep, one face was in my mind. His bronze hair was disheveled and his eyes were so cold compared to his angel-like perfect face. I couldn't help but wonder something and I knew for a fact that, before I left this house, I would find the answer to my question…

What was Edward Cullen's problem?


	4. Lost at home

_Hi there everyone!_

_The reaction to the last chapter was awesome. My email inbox was full! _

_So, a huge thank you to Caitlin S., gaby, pizza003, Bells254, Cullen0-Lover-101, BellaSwan1994, Twihard4ever17, sprinter1 and Jazze aka Mina for their fantastic reviews. I really loved reading them. And thanks to those who alerted and favorited. Lets keep it up guys!_

_So, how is everyone. I am currently over the moon because Jenson Button has been crowned F1 World Champion 2009! And, he's from my neck of the woods, England. I watch the Formula 1 religiously, it's the only sport I follow, it's literally took over my life, so well done Jenson! You deserve it so much. You drove a fantastic race. And well done to Brawn GP too for getting the Constructures Championship. You should have seen me, I was screaming at the TV when he crossed the line lol. It was very well deserved. Right, glad I got that out of my system!_

_This chapter is named after 'Lost at home' by the Automatic. They are a Welsh band and are really good, so I recommend giving them a listen! (:_

_Anyway, on with the chapter…._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight… but I love Jenson Button! (if you hadn't already guessed!)_

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Bella Swan's Point of View

My eyes slowly fluttered open the next morning and I automatically didn't recognize the room I was in. It was different to the one I was used to, and much larger as well. The bed felt different too. It was much firmer and a whole lot bigger. I rubbed my eyes, getting rid of the sleep that had formed in them throughout the night and took a better gaze around the alien room.

I couldn't help but feel slightly foolish when I realized that this was just my new bedroom at the Cullen house. I was in the right place. I mentally slapped myself as I stretched out my limbs, feeling much more awake now. I still needed to get used to this room and the house as a whole. I glanced over at the clock on my bedside table and noticed that it was 7am.

I had always been an early riser, ever since I was little. I would always get up at the crack of dawn with my dad. We would go down stairs and watch morning cartoons together whilst he made me breakfast. Then I would get ready for school. Mom was always the total opposite, especially on the weekends. There was no chance of seeing her until at least lunch time. I would just spend the mornings happily with my dad.

I assumed since it was so early and that it was a Saturday, the Cullen's would all be asleep. If they had any sense they would be. I just got up early out of habit. Most people usually slept in on weekends anyway, so I just assumed the Cullen's did the same.

That meant I would have the house to myself for a few hours. I sat there in my bed, the early signs of sunlight creeping through the gap in the curtains, contemplating what to do with my time. I could just watch the TV. I'm sure there would be something on. Yet, thinking about it, I could barely work the one in my room and the one down stairs looked even more complicated. I could make some breakfast, but it would be rude to eat on my own and I had no idea of when anyone would be up.

That's when a thought sprang to my mind. I would go for a nice morning walk. It was something that I could do on my own and I would be back before the Cullen's had even noticed that I had gone. I needed to get to know the area better anyway, so what better way to do that than to physically go out and explore it for myself. That's what I would do. I smiled to myself, quite pleased with my plan, before throwing the large quilt from my body and getting out of bed.

My bare feet hit the cold carpet as I stood up and I gave my body another stretch. I slowly went to my wardrobe, pulling out an outfit for the day and quickly got dressed. Jeans and a t-shirt, I planned to keep it simple. After putting on a pair of thick, warm socks, I made my way over to the window and opened my curtains, letting the early morning sunlight flood my room. I was quite pleased when I noticed that it wasn't raining today. It was one of those rare days in Forks where the weather stayed dry. Today was starting off pretty good!

I did, however, notice the wind blowing fallen leaves around the pavement and down the roads. Even though it was dry, today was going to be cold. I let out a deep sigh as I let go of the curtains and headed back over to my wardrobe. I opened it up and pulled out my big black winter coat which I had brought for my stay in Forks, realizing I was going to be using it quite often. I rarely needed a thick coat back in Phoenix. Sure, it got cold in the winter, just as it does anywhere else, but it was never cold enough for a huge coat. A thin one would usually do. The sun kept you warm anyway. I had never even owned a scarf or gloves until I came here!

I pulled out said scarf and gloves, which were black like the coat, and put all the items on. I fastened the coat until I felt snug and warm, grabbed my phone from my bedside table and quietly left my room, gently closing the door behind me. As I tiptoed down the hallway, I noticed everybody's bedroom doors were closed. I assumed they were all fast asleep. I quietly descended the stairs and saw that both the living room and kitchen were empty. I realized that I really was the only one awake.

I put my sneakers on, which were in the foyer, and laced them up. When I realized that I was officially ready to go, I opened the front door and stepped out into the cool morning air. The cold hit me in the face and a shiver ran throughout my body. I closed the door and walked down the porch, down the path and down the long hidden drive until I hit the pavement. I didn't have to worry about a key. Alice told me that Carlisle had put a spare one under the doormat because Emmett kept losing his. I chuckled quietly to myself at the thought of that. Typical Emmett!

The neighborhood seemed quite nice, most of the houses large and expensive looking. All of them had huge cars on the drive and perfectly cut grass. This was a rich man's estate. How lucky was I?! I should have guessed really that the Cullen's lived in a place like this. I wish that my parents had just half their money. Dad was the Chief of Police back in Phoenix and mom didn't work. We got by on whatever dad earned which, to tell the truth, wasn't really that much. They had just about afforded my huge orange truck. It wasn't the best looking car on the playground, and it certainly wasn't the fastest, but I loved it all the same.

I turned down the empty road, and then turned again down another street as my mind began to wonder further. It was quite obvious why the Cullen's could afford to live in such a place. Carlisle was a doctor after all and Esme was an interior designer. They were wonderful, my new 'parents'. So kind and sweet and loving, treating me just as they treated their own children, especially Esme. I know for a fact that I will ever meet a more caring and loving woman than Esme. She seemed a very protective mother and loved her family so much, especially her children.

I liked Emmett a lot. He was like a crazy big brother, always cracking jokes and making me laugh. He was also a big brother in the literal sense; I mean the guy is huge! He must have played football during high school. He looked like he could pick up a boulder without even breaking a sweat. Yet, his cute curls and kind personality made him seem like a big teddy bear.

Alice was wonderful, like the sister I had never had. She was so carefree and gentle in everything she did and had really made me feel at home and welcome. The smoothie incident, as messy as it was, was really quite funny and I felt in that moment, that I had really bonded with Alice as a friend. I was still dreading our shopping trip though. Maybe I can say I'm tired, or fake an illness. Anything to get out of it or just make it last as less time as possible. I also really appreciated how she had defended me last night when her brother ignored me and snorted at me. She really was a good friend, sticking up for me against Edward.

Ah, Edward.

The infamous Edward Cullen, who hated me even though he had never met me and, much to my dismay, he had stayed true to his word. He hadn't spoken to me once. He just acknowledged me with nods and noises for the whole night, making me feel uncomfortable in an already uncomfortable environment. Not only did I have to worry about a new home, new place and a new family, but he had to stick hatred and ignorance into the mix. It's like he's out to get me or something.

Perhaps if he won't make an effort with me, I should make an effort with him. I should try talking to him and try to get to know him better. Who knows, it might work. Then he might finally crack a smile in my direction or utter a word or two. Even saying "hello" would be nice. Manners go quite far, you know.

I knew that as I was planning all of this, it would all be to no avail. Even his little sister kicking him and glaring couldn't get him to accept me. I was trying to fight a loosing battle. He really had his mind set on ignoring me and hating me from afar. Whatever had made him like this was really set in deep.

That got my mind wondering even further. What could have possibly happened to make Edward's reaction to me this strong? Perhaps he wasn't a 'people person' and hated new people coming into his life. Maybe he had had a bad experience with a witness in the past. I wasn't the first witness the Cullen's had taken in after all. Or maybe, he was just naturally miserable. It confused me that someone who could be so warm, just like he had been to Emmett the previous night, could be so cold to me.

He didn't look like a cold person. I mean, just like the rest of his family, he was a naturally beautiful person with the voice of an angel. His smile was so beautiful and his hair so amazing, not to mention those eyes….

_Whoa, Bella. Slow down! Stop thinking like that. The guy hates you after all._

_But a girl can look, right?_

_Sure, but just remember, he hates the sight of you._

My thoughts were depressing me. What was his problem?

Who knows! But I was going to find out. I had made it my mission. I can hear the Mission Impossible theme playing now!

The thought of me in a black suit, climbing down the side of a cliff whilst being chased by the bad guys made me laugh and it brought me out of my thoughts. I quickly regretted leaving them though when I was brought back to reality. I looked around me, slowly and carefully and realized I had no idea where I was. My feet must have just taken me here whilst my mind wandered elsewhere.

I was lost.

_Great! Well done, Bella! You haven't even been in the place for 24 hours and you have managed to get yourself lost!_

The more I looked around, the more lost I became. I didn't recognize this place from the car journey back from the airport with Carlisle yesterday. This was all new territory to me. Perhaps this walk alone was a bad idea after all.

I looked around for someone to ask directions of. Perhaps someone would be walking a dog or going out for an early morning run or a walk, like me. That wasn't going to work. The place was dead. Not a single soul in sight. The only movement came from the rustling leaves along the floor and the tree branches swaying in the wind.

I was totally alone.

Now what was I going to do? I could just carry on walking and see where I ended up, but that would be a bad idea. Knowing me, I'd end up even more lost than I am now! My only other option was to phone the Cullen's. I glanced at my watch and noticed that it was 7.30am. No-one would be up yet and I would feel bad waking them up this early on a weekend morning. Yet, what other option did I have? If I just hung around until they woke up, I would freeze to death. I let out a deep breath as I made my decision. I pulled out my phone and opened up my contact list. Alice's number was at the top, I would ring her. That way, I would only be waking up one person rather than the whole household. I was thankful that she had given me her number last night.

I hit the call button and lifted the phone to my ears. It took her five rings to answer.

"Hello?" she said in a groggy voice. She still sounded fast asleep.

"Uh, Alice? It's Bella," I replied.

"Bella? It's 7.30am. Why are you phoning me when you are in the next room?"

"I'm not there," I explained. "I sort of went for a morning walk and have gotten myself kind of lost." I felt like such an idiot.

"Lost?" She asked before I heard her yawn.

"Yeah, I don't recognize where I am."

"Ok, can you see anything around you? A building or a road sign?"

I gazed around the area I was in and noticed a big brown building a little further down the road. The large cross on the building's roof gave its identity away.

"I can see a church," I told her, feeling a little more optimistic now.

"Ok, go wait by the church and I'll send someone to pick you up." She yawned again.

"Thanks, Alice."

"No problem. See you in a while. I'll be as quick as I can."

"Ok. Bye," I said before I ended the call. I had a large smile on my face suddenly and I began to walk towards the church.

When I finally reached it, I sat on the wall that surrounded it and waited to be picked up. The wall was cold, but soon warmed up thanks to my body heat. I hoped that whoever picked me up had the heating on in the car. I put my hands in my pockets and nuzzled my chin further into my scarf in the hope of keeping warmer.

I felt so foolish. Only I could go for a short walk and end up lost. I wasn't surprised at myself really. Those sort of things always happened to me. Typical!

After a short time waiting, I suddenly heard an engine in the distance. I looked in the direction of the noise and saw a car coming towards me. I stood up from my place on the wall and walked to the edge of the pavement, ready for my lift.

A good looking silver Volvo pulled up before me and it was safe to say I was a little shocked when the driver rolled the window down to reveal himself.

It was Edward.

I hoped the shock of his appearance wasn't apparent on my face. It was certainly apparent in my mind.

"Alice told me to come pick you up," he said in a monotone voice. Even in his apparent lack of interest, his voice sounded nice.

"Oh, right," I said as I made my way to the passenger side and got in the car, closing the door behind me. Just as I had hoped, the heating was on the car. It was so snug and warm. He waited for me to put my seatbelt on before we pulled away and headed down the road.

We remained silent as Edward drove down the road, his eyes remaining on where he was going the whole time. Perhaps now would be a good time to put my plan into action and get him to talk to me. This was probably the only time we would be alone if Edward had his way, so I figured that now was a better time than ever. Time to start my mission.

_Tom Cruise, eat your heart out. Bella Swan is taking your place._

Sadly, I knew that Tom Cruise would be keeping his job because just as I opened my mouth to speak to him, he put the radio on. I let out a deep breath, annoyed that I would have to wait even longer to put my plan into action.

He pressed a few buttons on the radio, when all of a sudden, Clair de Lune by Debussy flooded the car. I automatically smiled when I heard it. When I was little, my mum always played classical music around the house. She had this theory that if I listened to it as a baby, I would become smarter when I was older. I don't really know if her theory worked, but I loved listening to the music all the same. Mozart, Chopin, Debussy. Clair de Lune was one of my personal favorites.

I let out a deep sigh of contentment and my smile became bigger as I let the music flow throughout my body. I began to gently sway in time with it. I suddenly noticed Edward's eyebrows furrow out of the corner of my eye.

"You like Debussy?" he asked me. The question shocked me. Not because the answer was obvious, but because he had actually aimed a question at me. We were going to have a conversation and he was the one who would start it!

"Uh, yeah," I replied. "Clair de Lune is my favorite."

"Mine too! I've never known anyone else who liked it before. None of my family gets it."

"Well I think it's beautiful. The guy was a genius," I said to him.

"He was a genius, wasn't he? You really think it's beautiful?" he asked, looking at me for the first time.

"Uh huh," I said cheerily, quite happy with our progress.

I could have sworn that I saw his lips curl up into a smile at the sound of my words. Maybe Edward Cullen wasn't so bad after all. At least he had communicated with me and I knew that the fact he had picked me up was a big deal for him.

"Sorry you had to come and get me by the way. I bet Alice woke you up, huh?"

"No, I was already awake. I always wake up early." Wow, he was an early riser, just like me.

"Oh, right. Well, thank you," I said.

His smile suddenly faded at my thanks and he merely nodded at me, his eyes turning back to the road. Great, he hated me again. All of that progress suddenly disappeared. Wow, this hatred of me was really dug in deep. He even hated me saying thank you. I just don't get it. One minute we are talking happily about music, really getting on for once and the next, he is ignoring me again, keeping silent. I just turned my head away from him and looked out of the window for the rest of the journey, feeling a little sad. I just listened to the music as the good atmosphere in the car disappeared. I was back at square one.

The rest of the car ride was ridiculously uncomfortable, neither of us speaking, the only noise being that of the engine and the music. I felt a little relieved when Edward turned up the long hidden drive and the house was in sight. He pulled up outside the house and turned the engine off. We both took our seatbelts off and got out the car. Edward locked it up before we both made our way up the porch.

Alice was standing there with the front door open. She was wearing a pink dressing gown and fluffy slippers - Typical Alice, and she looked rather tired. I suddenly felt guilty again for getting her up so early. Edward, who was in front of me, just brushed passed her, giving her hair a ruffle with his hand on the way and stepped into the house. He hung his keys up, hung his coat up and went straight up stairs without looking back.

Alice smiled at me as I entered the house, me loving how warm it was, and she closed the door behind me.

"How was he?" she asked me as I began to take my shoes off.

"He was… hot and cold," I said, realizing that the phrase was the perfect way to describe Edward's reactions to me.

"What do you mean?" she asked as we walked up the stairs and down the hallway, finally entering my room.

"Well," I began as Alice took a seat on my bed, "one minute we were talking about music with each other-"

"Wait, he had a conversation with you?" she asked me, totally shocked by the information.

"Yeah, we had a conversation… and he started it!"

"Wow... anyway, carry on," she smiled.

"So, one minute we were talking and smiling and the next, he's ignoring me and won't give me the time off day."

I took my coat, gloves and scarf off and put them away in my wardrobe. I then went to sit next to Alice on the bed.

"Why?" she wondered. "What happened to make him change?"

I laughed to myself, thinking about how pathetic his reason really was. "I thanked him for picking me up."

"What?! Really? That it?" She seemed as shocked as I was.

"Uh huh," I replied. "He didn't say anything for the rest of the journey."

"He's being such a jerk," she said, folding her arms in anger. "I really thought that some time alone with you would win him round."

"Well, it did… for a while," I said, feeling a little saddened. Edward Cullen had to be the most confusing person on the planet. I just couldn't figure him out.

"I wish he would just stop it," she moaned.

I wondered if now would be the best time to voice my concerns and get some answers to my questions. I hoped that Alice would be able to help me. What did I have to lose?

"Alice," I began, my fingers playing with the hem of my t shirt, "Why is he like this? I mean, what have I done?"

She looked at me and gave me a sympathetic smile. She suddenly took my hand in hers.

"It's not you." She told me. "There's a variety of reasons as to why he's like this. He has good reason, but he should not take it out on you. I can see that you're different."

My eyebrows began to furrow. "But what are those reasons?"

"That's for Edward to tell you. It's not my place."

I let out a deep sigh and nodded, knowing that I wasn't going to get anywhere. I would have to figure all this out by myself and I would have to do it soon. There is only so long I can live with him like this.

"Cheer up, Bella," Alice suddenly perked up. She stood up and a huge grin appeared on her lips. I was a little confused.

"Alice?"

"Today's the day you meet Jasper," she squealed. Who?

"Who is Jasper?" I asked her.

"My boyfriend," she giggled. "He is coming over at lunchtime. Emmett's girlfriend, Rosalie is too. They are going to love you."

"Oh, ok," I said. More new people. I hoped they were nice. I suppose if they are involved with the Cullen family, they must be nice. After all, the Cullen's are wonderful.

Well, most of them are anyway.


	5. This boy

_Hello folks! Another day, another chapter._

_Amazing response to the last chapter, so thanks to aaaaaaah, mindreadingweirdo, Tommygrl1997, Clumsy-Clara, pizza003, DontMakeThemLikeEdwardAnymore (love the name because they really don't!), sprinter1 and bells254 for their reviews. I loved reading them, so lets try and get some more! Also, thanks to those who alerted and favorited._

_So, a bit of a change this chapter - Edward's point of view. A lot of you have been wondering what Edward's problem is, so I figured it was time to get a look into his head. I aim to do quite a few chapters from Edward's eyes, sort of share the chapters between Edward and Bella, though Bella will end up with the most chapters, this is her story after all._

_This chapter does kind of tell you what the problem is with Edward, but it doesn't give the WHOLE story if you know what I mean. He doesn't go into much detail (that will come later), he just glances over his problem with Bella and gives us a vague idea. Confused? Lol. Hopefully you will see what I mean when you read the chapter._

_This chapter is named after 'This boy' by a band called Franz Ferdinand. They are from Scotland and are very good. Their older material tends to be better._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight… damn it!_

* * *

Edward Cullen's Point of View

Geez, could my life possibly get any worse?

I mean, in all fairness, I have a pretty good life. Nice car, good friends, fantastic family and I'm no stranger to a girl or two, but as of Friday, life took a down turn.

_She_ showed up, the new witness. Bella.

As soon as I picked her up that Saturday morning from by the church, I ran through the house and to my room as fast as I could, just to get away from her. I didn't want her near me at that moment. I made sure to ruffle Alice's hair on the way though. I loved my sister and I knew how she hated having her hair messed up. I was her big brother, so in true big brother tradition, I did something to annoy the hell out of her. I wasn't sure what her reaction was, I just ran up those stairs as fast as I could.

We have been taking in witnesses for a few years now, something my mom and dad did. I'm not quite sure why they do it, but I have a feeling that it was more my dad's idea, especially after what happened. But that's another story…

So anyway, we have been taking in witnesses for a while now and we have had a few, both male and female. They were all pretty nice and friendly and I got on well with all of them. I actually enjoyed them stopping with us. It was fun.

Then a certain one arrived, Tanya.

I was about 14 at the time, that awkward age when I started to notice girls and my dad brought me my first razor. Emmett teased me for week because I kept cutting my face on the blade. I was quite excited about the new arrival. I was hoping to make friends, have fun and maybe win fair maidens heart; I was a hormonal 14 year old after all.

Then I met her. My plans of friendship and wooing her flew right out of the window. She was a psycho! I hated her from the start, but Tanya had other plans. I didn't want her, but she sure wanted me. She started to do things and from that moment on, I couldn't look at a witness the same again. After what she did, I realised I hated them.

We only ever had a few witness after Tanya. The first was a boy called Alec. I drove him out of the house within a week. They had to give him to a new family. I felt bad at first, but then I remembered Tanya and realized that they were all the same. Heidi came next. I set a new personal record with her. She was gone after just two days. I really didn't want her around. Then they stopped coming for a while. A few years passed and now we are stuck with Bella.

Ah, Bella.

The very first moment I met her, she was standing in my kitchen, covered in smoothie. She didn't even have the decency to clean up. I merely looked her up and down and continued with my day. Orchestra practice had been hard, I just wanted to rest, not meet and greet the new witness with a fake smile plastered on my face. She probably thought I was ignorant for ignoring her like I did, but I didn't care. I wasn't planning on making friends with her and she would be gone in a few weeks anyway. Gone, to never grace our doorstep with her unwanted presence again. Well, unwanted for me anyway.

As if to make matters worse though, they went and stuck me opposite her during dinner that night. Great! Not only did I have to sit in her presence, but I had to look at her all night too. I just turned away and began talking to Emmett about how Mick Newton had slipped over in the cafeteria that day. The look on Newton's face was priceless. Alice seemed pretty taken with Bella though. They really seemed to be getting along, almost as if they had known each other all their lives. But that's Alice for you; she's got a big heart and will always see the best in everyone. At least she was making Alice smile, I was a little happy at that.

Bella seemed pretty quiet though during the meal, almost nervous. I kept sneaking glances at her throughout the night and every time I saw her, she was keeping her head down and just nibbling on her pizza, her long brown hair covering her face. I took time to look over her face. She certainly had a natural beauty, one that just comes to a person with no effort needed. She would never need makeup. Her eyes seemed attractive too, just deep pools of brown. Amazing really. She didn't seem very tall, sort of taller than Alice but smaller than me. She was about the same as my mom really and when she spoke, her voice was soft, feminine.

If circumstances were different, I would probably like Bella Swan, but it wasn't _who _she was, it was _what _she was. I had beliefs to uphold and I wasn't going to change them for anyone, especially not a witness I had met 5 minutes ago.

I physically snorted when she thanked mom for taking her in. She wasn't thankful, she was just lucky that she got stuck with us. She had nothing to be thankful about at all. Just another annoying person, who witnessed a murder and has had to come and live with us until she can go return to her precious family, back to mommy and daddy, never to see us again. Yeah, I'm sure she was thankful. I didn't buy it for a second.

I ignored her for the rest of the night whilst we watched Emmett's exciting film, exciting in the sense that it was only exciting to Emmett. I just stuck my headphones in my ears and listened to music all night. I didn't glance at her once. I bet that put her right off! Well, she should know that there is no way that she is making friends with Edward Cullen any time soon.

I got up at 6.30 the next morning. I always get up early, even on the weekends. Everyone else pretty much stays in bed. I did my usual morning routine. I went downstairs and got myself some breakfast, usually cereal, then I went for my morning shower. I could have sworn that I heard the front door open and close whilst I was in the shower, but I thought nothing of it. I knew my family; they weren't going to be up for a while. We would be lucky if Emmett got up at all! Yet, Rosalie was coming over today along with Jasper, so I knew that he would be up at some point during the day.

I got out of the shower before getting dry and dressed. I was just about to head out of my room to have my morning piano practice when Alice decided to enter. To say I was confused was an understatement. She never got up this early, yet here she is in a pink dressing gown and the fluffy slippers Japer had brought her. I couldn't believe my ears when she asked me a certain question.

"What?" I said.

"I said, can you go fetch Bella from by the church?"

"No, I can't go fetch Bella from by the church." She knew how I felt about the witnesses, I couldn't believe she was actually asking me.

"Edward," she said, folding her arms. "You're being stupid."

"No I'm not," I argued. "I just don't want to fetch her, that's all."

"Edward, please," she pleaded with me.

"No, Alice," I said to her, standing my ground.

"Pllleeeeaaaasssseee," she begged, giving me her best puppy dog eyes. Now, if there is one thing that I cannot resist, it's my little sister giving me puppy dog eyes. The girl is a genius at it! So, much to my dismay, I reluctantly agreed to go. This was a big thing for me and Alice knew that. She would pay later!

So, I put of my coat and shoes, grabbed my car keys, left the house and got into my car.

How stupid could a witness be? Trust one of them to get lost. Who gets lost in Forks? The town is so small, you would miss it if you blinked! And because she is so stupid, I have to go out of my way to pick her up and bring her back home. It was safe to say that I wasn't pleased.

As I pulled up to the church, she was standing on the edge of the pavement. I pulled up to her and told her to get inside. She did. This ride was going to be hell.

We rode in silence for a while, so I turned the radio on to distract myself. I turned the CD player on and Clair de Lune filled my car. I loved this song. It was the first full song I learned to play on the piano, apart from the simple songs, like nursery rhymes. It wasn't as good without the full orchestra behind me, but I could still make it sound as beautiful as it was.

That's when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. Bella was swaying to the music, a smile plastered on her face. Surely she doesn't like Debussy too? Yet when I asked her she said she loved him. So, apparently she did. Great! That's something else I like about Bella. Not only is she pretty and really sweet to my sister, but she's a Debussy fan. This was getting beyond annoying now and I was beginning to get frustrated, not only at her, but at myself. How can I hate her when she is being this nice? That's when she thanked me for picking her up. I knew it was pathetic, but I used it as an excuse to go back to being my usual self. I ignored her the rest of the way home and ran to my room the second I got there.

So here I am now, sitting on my bed, ignoring a genuinely nice girl, all because she is a witness. I couldn't let her get under my skin. I've known Bella for less than a day and I have had these beliefs for years. I had to carry on ignoring her. I didn't really know her that well anyway. For all I know, she could be the most horrible person in the world. Tanya seemed nice for the first few days, then she showed her true colors. Perhaps Bella would be the same. Yes, yes she would be. So until then, I will keep ignoring Bella. I don't want a stupid witness in my house, ruining my life anyway.

I sat in my room for a few hours after that, just catching up on all my weekend homework and listening to music, making sure I avoided Debussy at all costs. Pathetic I know, but if I was going to carry on my hatred of Bella, I had to ignore everything about her, even if that meant my precious Debussy. As soon as my Spanish homework was done, I moved onto Biology. I quite liked Biology, I was just tired of answering all these damn questions. I thought home was for resting from school, not a place to bring work back to.

It was about mid-day when I heard Jasper's voice fill the foyer downstairs. I say Jasper's voice, it was more like Alice's squeal then Jasper telling her to calm down. I smiled at the sound and quickly left my room to go meet him.

Jasper was my best friend and had been since kindergarten. We were inseparable as kids and still are now really. We're just best buds, plain and simple. He had always been close to Alice and Emmet too. Then 2 years ago, he and Alice admitted that they were in a relationship. I wasn't happy at first, I mean my best friend and my little sister? I was ready to kill him! I was angry for a few days, ignoring the both of them. But those few days gave me time to think about the situation and that's when I realized that they were perfect for each other. Jasper and Alice, they just seemed to fit together. So I came round to the idea and I've been happy for them ever since. Jasper is like a second brother to me after all. Now it's the two of them who are inseparable and I wouldn't have it any other way.

As I descended the stairs, I saw Jasper shaking Bella's hand, his other hand holding Alice's, all of them with smiles on their faces. So Jasper had accepted her too. Well, of course he had, if Alice accepted her then Jasper was sure to follow. I hit the foyer and joined the group.

"Hey, Jaz," I said, patting his back.

"Hey, Edward," Jasper smiled back at him, embracing me in a manly hug. Edward and Jasper, the terrible two!

"How you doing?" I asked.

"Good, dude. Good," he replied.

I pulled away from the hug and we all casually made our way to the living room. I chanced a glance at Bella, but she just kept her head down looking nervous. I guess she was still confused over our car ride or nervous about meeting all these new people. I just let it go and collapsed on the sofa, remote in hand.

"Edward!" Alice shouted when she saw what I was holding.

"Well, if you had gotten here first, you would have been able to decide what we would put on the TV," I told her. The TV remote was strictly on a first come, first serve basis, and I made sure to get there first.

Alice and Jasper sat on the love seat together, Alice dropping onto Jasper's lap in a huff, whilst Bella opted to sit on the other side of the sofa, as far away from me as possible. Now she was getting the idea! I turned the TV on and went straight to the music channels. Alice let out an annoyed sigh, which Jasper and I just chuckled at.

"Can't you put something proper on?" she asked me. I knew exactly what she was getting at.

"Alice, the is no way on this Earth that I'm putting America's Next Top Model or Project Runway on."

She just leaned back into Jasper's chest and folded her arms after that, a permanent scowl on her face, clearly aimed at me. I just found it funny. She knew not to use the puppy dog eyes. She had already used them on me today. She knew not to push her luck.

After half an hour and a few cycles of the music channels, the doorbell rang. Yet, none of us had time to really register it as Emmett came charging down the stairs.

"I'LL GET IT, I'LL GET IT, I'LL GET IT!" he shouted as he ran to the door. Only one person made him act like that and my suspicions were proven to be correct when he opened the door to reveal Rosalie.

"Hey, baby!" he said as he planted a kiss square on her lips.

"Hey, Emmy," she replied when the kiss finished. Even though Emmett was as big as a bear and sometimes just as scary, he became a lovesick romantic fool around Rosalie. They met in high school and have both gone to college together. Mom wants them to get married and Emmett certainly thinks that she's _the one_. I wouldn't mind really. I like Rosalie. She's not afraid to speak her mind and she certainly gives as good as she gets. Plus she makes my brother happy, that's the main thing.

"Come on in," he said, closing the door behind her. "You need to meet Bella."

Bella automatically looked up at the mention of her name and I swear I saw her gulp. Man, she really was nervous. It was only Rosalie. Emmett and Rose entered the living room.

"Hi, Alice, Jasper," Rosalie said with a smile.

"Hi, Rose!" Alice smiled.

"Hey, Eddy," she said to me mockingly. She knew how much I hated being called Eddy, so I gave her a piece of her own medicine.

"Hey, Rosey," I smiled. She just glared at me, a grin slowly creeping onto her face. We always had petty fights like this. I thought that they were quite funny.

She looked past me then, her eyes resting on Bella. Rosalie's smile suddenly turned soft and sweet. She walked past me and held her hand out for Bella to shake. She made sure to stand right in front of me, blocking my view of the TV.

"You must be Bella. Hi, I'm Rosalie."

"Erm, hi, it's a pleasure to meet you," Bella smiled, shaking Rose's hand.

"Yo, Rose, you're in my way," I argued.

"Zip it, Cullen," she replied before moving to sit next to Bella and beginning a conversation with her. Emmett sat down too, placing himself between me and Rosalie. How we fitted four people onto a three seater sofa was beyond me, especially with how big Emmett was, but we managed… even if I was a little cramped.

I was beyond grateful when mom shouted us all, saying she had made us sandwiches for dinner. My stomach had been talking to me for a while, so I was the first person to jump up and go to the kitchen. I took my sandwich, thanking my mom on the way and sat back down on the sofa. I took a bite and noticed that it was chicken - my favorite.

_My mommy knows me so well!_

Slowly, but surely, everybody else filed back into the living room, food in hand. Alice and Jasper re-took their place on the love seat and Rose and Emmett sat down next to me. Yet, Bella chose to sit on the other love seat alone, out of view of the TV. I was glad that she did, I had much more room to stretch now. But a part of me felt bad that she couldn't see the TV.

_Stop it, Edward! You hate her, remember? Stop feeling so sorry for her._

My mind was right. Who cares what happens to the witness. I just sat back and watched the TV, tucking into my sandwich.

"Bella, surely you can't see the TV from there," Rosalie spoke up.

"Oh, it's fine, it doesn't matter," Bella smiled at her. That was when I really noticed it. Bella had a sweet smile. It was… pretty.

_Edward! She's a witness, remember?_

_Right, right._

I was getting way too ahead of myself here. This was not the plan at all. The plan was ignore the witness and annoy her till you drive her out of the house. Hell, I wanted to beat the record I had set with Heidi, but at this rate it was never going to happen. The plan was backfiring. No matter, I would just have to up my game. I've never had this problem in the past, why should I have it now? Why should Bella come along and suddenly change all of my beliefs?

"Of course it matters," Rosalie said as she turned to face Emmett. "Emmy, can you move so that Bella can sit down please?" She gave him her sweetest smile.

Emmett being Emmett, automatically obliged to his beloved and moved to sit on the floor at Rosalie's feet. I suddenly froze up. That meant Bella would have to sit next to me. As soon as she took her seat, I edged as far away from her as I could. I heard her let out a sigh as I did this. Good! I was annoying her, the plan was back on track.

After eating our dinner, Emmett came up with the bright idea of going on the PS3 for a 'tournament'. I rolled my eyes at the thought, but then agreed, realizing that it might be fun to kick Emmett's butt. I do enjoy kicking Emmett's butt! So, slowly but surely, we all made our way into Emmett's room. He had a pretty big room, so we all fitted in quite easily.

"So," Alice said as she moved to sit on Emmett's bed, Jasper sitting beside her. "How about we play this for a while, then us girls go shopping!"

"Oh, good idea, Alice," Rosalie gleamed. Bella, on the other hand, didn't seem as excited.

"Uh, sure," she said, sitting down on Emmett's desk chair.

I felt quite bad for her really, even if she was a witness. I knew what Alice's shopping trips could be like and no-one should be subjected to that kind of horrific torture. I refused to go with her now. I would just pick her up and drop her off. Rosalie seemed to love going with her, but Bella seemed reluctant.

"So," I said, making sure to get Bella off of my mind, "what am I kicking your ass at today?"

"HA HA, funny, Edward," Emmett said, pulling out a game. I recognized it straight away. Call of Duty 5. A shoot em up game set in the war. Emmett and I were pro's at this game. We usually played a game on there called Nazi Zombies. The games does exactly what it says on the tin. You kill a bunch of Nazi Zombies and who ever kills the most wins.

Emmett put the game in and threw me a controller. We both sat on the floor, in front of the TV, ready to begin our game.

"Winner stays on," Emmett said to the room. I merely nodded, focusing myself on the game. It was quite weird how much Emmett, Jasper and I took video games seriously. We were boys what do you expect. I t was exactly the same as girls and shopping, only Alice took it up a level!

"And I'm playing winner," Jasper quickly added.

"Deal," Emmett replied.

The game finally loaded and I ended up winning the first round.

"Told you I'd win," I laughed.

My laughter was quickly cut short when Jasper beat me next round. I have to hand it to him, the guy is good at killing Nazi Zombies. Alice clapped loudly at his win. The guy even had his own cheering squad! He played Emmett next round and this time, it was Emmet's turn to win.

"So, who's going to take me on next?" Emmett asked the room.

"Count me out," said Alice who, unbeknownst to us, had begun to paint her nails.

"Me too," said Rosalie.

"How about you, Bella?" Emmett said, suddenly turning to Bella. Bella's eyes widened at the prospect.

"I don't know…" she said, playing with her fingers.

"Come on, it's easy. I'll help you. Trust me," Emmett smiled at her.

"Ok," she said, a little apprehensively. She walked over to the TV and took the controller from Jasper. She then sat next to Emmett who proceeded to tell her the controls. She looked so confused. This was going to be good.

When the game started, Bella was quite slow in getting used to the controls. Emmett had to save her from dying a number of times. Then she started to get the hang of it, she was killing zombies in no time. It was quite good to watch.

"Uh, Emmett," Jasper began.

"What?" Emmett asked, his eyes glued to the screen, his tongue sticking out of his mouth, between his lips, in concentration.

"Bella's kind of beating you."

I looked at their scores on the screen and much to my disbelief, Bella was indeed beating Emmett!

"She is?!" Emmett exclaimed.

"I am?!" Bella said, just as shocked.

"Yeah," Jasper laughed.

I hated to admit it, but I was impressed. It was her first go on the game and she was actually winning. It was amazing. I actually felt myself beginning to smile. Eventually, the round finished and none of us could believe that Bella had won.

"Was I good?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah!" Emmett said. "You were amazing."

A soft red blush slowly began to creep across Bella's cheeks and damn it if I didn't begin to blush at Bella's blush.

_I hate her, I hate her, I hate her_, I began to tell myself in my head and slowly but surely, I felt my blush disappear. Thankfully, nobody noticed my red face.

"Does this mean that we can go shopping now?" Alice suddenly whined.

"Sure does, baby," Jasper said, kissing her cheek.

"Yay!" she squealed.

"About time," Rosalie said. I just rolled my eyes. Girls!

"Come on, Bella," my little sister said, grabbing Bella's hand.

"Oh, see you later," Bella yelled behind her as Alice pulled her out of the room.

"Bye, Bella," Emmett and Jasper shouted back, the two of them laughing.

"Bye guys," Rosalie said, she too leaving the room.

"Well gentleman," I said with a smile. "I'll catch you both later."

"Later dude," they both said as I left Emmett's room, walked down the hallway and entered my own.

I shut the door behind me and leant back onto it, letting out a deep breath and closing my eyes. So many thoughts were swirling round my head. Our little tournament certainly was interesting and it killed me to think that perhaps I may have enjoyed Bella's company a little bit… but not that much! There was no way in hell that I was going soft on her, no way at all! She was just good at killing zombies, that's all. I couldn't help but chuckle at how ridiculous that just sounded. I opened my eyes and turned around, opening my door. I quickly left my room and headed down stairs going to the one thing I needed the most at the minute.

My piano.

I sat down on the stool when I reached it and just stared at it for a while, lightly brushing the tips of my fingers over the ivory keys. This is where I felt most at home, sitting in front of my instrument, just me and my music. Pure bliss.

Eventually, my fingers pressed harder on the keys and I started to play. Ironically, I played Clair de Lune. That's when I started to think about my day and everything that had happened in it. Waking up, going to pick Bella up, doing my homework, eating lunch with everyone, playing video games. It had been a good day really. I laughed internally at the sight of Emmett's face when Bella had beaten him.

That's when the song changed. It was a new song, totally alien to me. I had never played it before. I was improvising it on the spot, but for some reason, I couldn't stop playing it. It was a nice sounding song, really soft and melodic.

It was a lullaby and I had no idea of where it had come from.


	6. Sunday Bloody Sunday

_Hello!_

_A huge thank you to Clumsy-Clara, mindreadingweirdo, kuryn426, bells254, LunarFairyPrincess1989, sprinter1, edwardlover213, miscymist78, Tommygrl1997, chst and Jazze for their lovely reviews. I really love to read them and I really like to know what you guys think of this story, so keep them coming. Also thanks to those who favorited and alerted (:_

_Has anyone seen the scenes they have released for New Moon? There's one where Bella see's Paul and Jacob transform and one where Edward had his fight with Felix. If you haven't seen them, go see them as soon as you can. It's made me want the new film so much! I NEED it!_

_This chapter is named after 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' by the wonderful U2._

_Enjoy guys! This one is a bit of a turning point, though the repercussions of it will come next chapter._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but I really need to see New Moon… like now!_

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

Well, that was certainly tiring!

Alice's shopping trip was… interesting. That's probably the best I can come up with. I have absolutely no idea how she does it. The girl doesn't stop! She shopped for hours and she never tired once. I had to sit down to rest a few times and even Rosalie had to stop once or twice. But Alice, not once. In fact, when we were having a rest, she was bouncing up and down on her feet, ready for more. She had so much energy!

And the shopping bags she carried, they were never ending! Her hands were full of them. It confused me as to how she managed to carry them all without falling over or getting tired. She had five in one hand and five in the other. Trust me, if shopping were an Olympic sport, Alice would win the gold medal hands down. It's like she's an expert.

We left the house to go shopping at around 2pm. We finished our 'tournament' as Emmett liked to call it and then we left. Playing video games with everyone was very fun though. I couldn't quite believe it when Jasper said that I was beating Emmett. I had never played the game before, yet there I was, beating someone who had been playing it for years. Either Emmett was very bad at the game or I was extremely good, and since I knew Emmett was an expert, I figured I must be a pro at this game. It was fantastic and it made me feel really at home with the Cullen's. They loved it just as much as I did!

However, it was not just the Cullen's I knew now; I had met Jasper and Rosalie too. Jasper was very sweet to me. He met me with a smile on his face and a very welcoming handshake. It was very easy to see why Alice had fallen for him. With his polite manner, good looks and southern drawl, he was a true gentleman. Alice was very lucky. It was quite easy to see his affections for Alice too. Every time he would look at her, there would be a sparkle in his eye, as if nothing in the world mattered but her, and the way they kept their fingers interlaced at all times was very sweet. I was happy for them both. They made a very good looking couple.

I met Rosalie next, Emmett's girlfriend. As soon as I saw her, I thought that she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. With her long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, I figured that she could easily pass as a supermodel. I was a little intimidated by her at first, especially with the way she argued with Edward. I found it quite amusing really. It was good to see Edward put in his place for once. Now I wasn't the only one suffering. Yet, when she spoke to me, her voice was filled with kindness and I automatically liked her. It was as if she could sense my nerves and knew not to be too over bearing. She was a very sweet person.

So, after meeting Jasper and Rosalie and after we finished our 'tournament', Alice, Rosalie and I left for our shopping trip. I was dreading it. I hated shopping at the best of times and so wasn't really looking forward to the hours I knew we would be spending at the mall. Sure, it would be nice to spend some time with Alice and Rosalie, but did the time have to be spent shopping? Apparently, it did.

I was hit with total shock when I saw Alice's car. A Porsche! A freaking Porsche! A god damn yellow Porsche!

"Do you like it?" she asked me when she saw my expression.

"Uh, yeah!" I said. "It's amazing."

"I know. Daddy brought it me when I passed my test."

"I call shot gun!" Rosalie shouted, getting into the car.

Oh my god, I was going to the mall in a Porsche. Suddenly, I wanted to go shopping, purely for the car I would be going in. It was beautiful.

We made it to the mall in record time, but what do you expect when we are traveling in a Porsche! _I really like saying Porsche! Porsche, Porsche, Porsche! _We got out of the car and hit the shops right away. We must have gone in every single shop and the fact that I was bored was an understatement. By the end, all the shops were beginning to look the same. I couldn't tell one from the next. Alice, of course, knew exactly where to go and what to buy. Like I said before, she's an expert. Shopping really did seem to be her passion, just as mine is reading. It's something that she really cared about and took very seriously.

Just as I had predicted, Alice brought me shoes. She wanted to buy me about 10 pairs, but I managed to get it down to 2, and I didn't even want those! It was wrong that she was the one buying things for me, but she had insisted.

"You need to look good for school on Monday, Bella," she reasoned.

Ah, of course. I would be starting school at Forks High on Monday with Alice, Edward and Jasper. If I thought the shopping trip was scary, than the fact that I was starting a new school was terrifying. I was as nervous as Hell. I was just grateful that I would have the Cullen's at my side throughout the whole thing. Esme and Carlisle had made sure that I would be in a class with at least one of them. That way, I would settle in better. The school obviously obliged. Dr Cullen had a lot of respect in Forks.

So, with the shoes brought and several tops and pairs of jeans and a rucksack that Alice also insisted on buying me, our shopping trip was finally over and I was extremely relieved. I collapsed in the back seat of the Porsche (never thought I'd be saying that in my life!) and was quiet for the whole journey home. I just let Alice and Rosalie hold the conversation as I was far too tired to talk. I glanced over to the clock on the dashboard and saw that it was 6.30pm. 4 and a half hours we had been shopping and boy, did it seem longer.

It was dark when we pulled up outside the Cullen house. Alice turned the engine off and the three of us got out of the car, shopping bags in hand. I had one, Rosalie had three…. Alice had ten. Yet, I wasn't surprised, it was Alice after all. We walked up to the porch and Rosalie rang the doorbell. Carlisle answered.

"What on Earth have you been buying?" he asked, eyes wide. If I were him, I would have had the same reaction.

"Just the necessities, dad," Alice smiled as she walked through the front door, Rosalie and I behind her.

"Jazzy!" she screamed when she saw Jasper in the living room with Emmett and Edward. She literally dropped her bags where she stood and ran over to him as fast as her little legs would carry her. I could not help but smile at her enthusiasm.

"Ally!" Jasper shouted back, standing up from his seat on the sofa. She leapt into his arms and embraced him in a huge hug. They really were a sweet looking couple.

"Hey Rose," Emmett said, making his way over to his girlfriend and giving her a gentle kiss.

"Hi, baby," she replied, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Hey, Bella," he smiled, turning to look at me.

"Hi, Emmett," I smiled back. I noticed that he looked down at the single bag a carried.

"Is that all you have? I thought for sure Alice would have made you get more than that," he said to me.

"Yeah, but Alice sure made up for it," I replied, nodding my head to the bags Alice had abandoned.

Emmett just laughed.

After dinner that night, I decided I would go up to bed early. I was beyond tired from the shopping trip and all I wanted to do was rest, so I said goodnight to everyone. Alice did the usual and hugged me, whilst Esme gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. Emmett and Carlisle said their usual goodnights and then I turned to Edward.

"Good night, Edward," I said, trying to be as kind as possible. The plan was now in action after all. I even offered him a smile.

He looked at me blankly for a few seconds, as if he were deep in thought until finally, to my shock, he replied. "Goodnight… Bella."

_Wow! Well done Bella! You finally got him to talk. _

With that, I went upstairs and went to my room, feeling rather proud of myself. I had managed to start the day with a conversation with Edward Cullen and miraculously managed to end the day with a conversation with Edward Cullen. Ok, so the last conversation was merely a sentence, but he replied, didn't he?

When I entered my room, I noticed the shopping bag was placed upon my bed, and so decided to put everything away before I went to sleep. First, I put away the two pairs of shoes that Alice had brought me, a pair of black flats and a pair of blue flats. She had insisted on buying me them since I had only shown up with sneakers. I put them in the bottom of my wardrobe, before hanging up the jeans she had brought me. Next came the tops. They weren't very flashy, but they were nice and very comfortable to wear. It was very sweet and kind of Alice to get them for me. She said that the clothes were her 'welcoming present'. That way, I couldn't protest against them.

When the shopping bag was finally empty and put away, I got my night clothes on and got into bed. It was very warm and snug and I drifted off to sleep almost immediately.

I wasn't sure what time it was, but at some point during the night, I began to dream….

"_Bella, run," my mother whispered in my ear, but I refused to move. How could I leave my family? We were being threatened and we had to stick together. I shook my head. No._

_I grabbed my mothers hand and prayed silently in my head that we would be ok. We had to be. We were a happy family. Nothing should tare us apart._

_That's when the guy with the blonde hair pulled my mother away from me._

_She looked so frightened and she began to shake and there was nothing me or my dad could do. _

"_Do it, James," the dark skinned man said to his friend. James had a sinister grin on his lips. My eyes widened. Next thing I knew, he pulled out a gun, held it to her beautiful head and pulled the trigger._

"MOM!" I screamed, suddenly sitting up in my bed, wide awake. I was breathing fast and my heart was pumping in my chest. I grasped the bed quilt, suddenly realizing it had all been a dream. The men weren't really here. But it wasn't a dream, was it? I was remembering past events. It wasn't just a nightmare, it was real. Tears slowly streamed down my face at the terrible memory I had just recollected. I lay back down and placed my head on my pillow, crying myself to sleep.

I awoke at 7.15 the next morning, last night's tears lying dry upon my cheeks. I sat up slowly, brushing the sleep out of my eyes before rubbing my cheeks to get rid of the tears. My efforts were to no avail, so I got out of my bed and went to the bathroom, closing the door behind me quietly so as not to wake anyone up.

I turned on the tap and splashed cold water all across my face. The feel of it was so relieving and I automatically felt better. The cold really woke me up. With that, I quietly left the bathroom and made my way back to my room. Closing the door behind me, I headed over to my draws and got dressed for the day. I went simple again with a t shirt and a pair of jeans. I assumed I wouldn't be going anywhere today anyway, it was Sunday after all. Sunday, bloody Sunday!

I opened my curtains to see the rain pouring down my window like a waterfall. I grinned somehow, knowing that yesterday, I brought my secret weapon from the mall. I looked over at my wardrobe, knowing that a blue umbrella sat in it. There was no way that the rain was going to get me now!

_Bella 1, Rain 0._

Casually, I made my way downstairs, making sure I was quiet and finally entered the living room. I suddenly froze when I saw Edward sitting there on the sofa. He didn't see me as his back was to me, but he was wearing grey PJ bottoms and a white wife beater. And Oh. My. God! Any girl would be crazy if they said he wasn't good looking sitting there. He looked so relaxed and he clearly had bed hair. I would be lying if I said I didn't blush. I could feel the warmth rising in my cheeks. I ran out of the room as quickly and as quietly as I could, heading for the kitchen.

_He hates you, Bella. He hates you._

_But did you see him?_

_Yes, and boy did he look hot, but he doesn't think the same about you._

My subconscious was really getting on my nerves, so I decided to ignore her and made some breakfast. Making breakfast was a pretty distracting task and within minutes, I had forgotten all about Edward Cullen and his sexy bed hair.

_Bella, you're doing it again._

I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the thoughts and began to look around the room for a bowl. I was in the mood for cereal this morning. I found the cereal during my search and pulled out the box. Cheerios, yum yum! I finally found the bowls in the top cupboard, the only problem being that they were at the back. I couldn't reach them.

I reached my arm as far as it would go, but that didn't work. Next, I tried standing on my tip toes. Sure, that got me a little closer, but still not close enough. That's when a hand suddenly appeared behind me, reached up and pulled a bowl out. I turned round and my eyes widened when I saw Edward standing there, handing me the bowl. He didn't say anything.

"Oh, thank you," I said, taking the bowl, immediately regretting the words. I knew that he hated to be thanked. He merely nodded at me before reaching back up to grab a bowl for himself.

Oh, well that wasn't so bad. At least it wasn't a snort or a scowl... and I got my bowl.

I quickly moved out of his way and went to the box of cereal that I had placed on the island counter in the middle of the kitchen. I placed my bowl on the counter and began to pour the cereal in. I noticed that Edward was suddenly next to me, watching the box of cereal.

"There you go," I smiled, handing him the box once I had finished. He took the box and I swear the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile. Hey, maybe we were getting somewhere with him. I had to admit, looking at him the way he was was very off putting. I don't think he would be best pleased if I suddenly decided to run my hands through his hair. Not the best move to make, Bella!

Next, I got some milk from the fridge and began to pour it onto my cereal. Edward took the milk when I was done and I grabbed a spoon, heading into the dining room. Edward, however, went in the opposite direction and headed for the living room. I let out a deep sigh and began to eat my breakfast. Well, at least I got a few words and perhaps a smile out of him.

The morning passed by quickly and soon, we were heading into late afternoon. I hadn't done much with my day, but then again, neither did everyone else. It was a Sunday after all. Emmett had gone over to Rosalie's for the day, so I hadn't seen him at all really, apart from when he ruffled my hair before he left the house. Carlisle had been called into the hospital on an emergency, so he was out all day too. Esme was busy going over the plans for the house she would start designing tomorrow, she seemed rather excited actually. Jasper had come over this morning and so he and Alice spent most of the day in her room, only coming down for lunch. I didn't even want to know what they were doing!

As for Edward, I hadn't really seen him at all. He had retreated to his room shortly after he finished his breakfast and he only came down twice, once for lunch and once to get a drink. I had spent most of the day on my own, flicking through the TV channels. I didn't mind though really. It was quite relaxing and peaceful to have some time to myself. I enjoyed it.

It was hitting 5pm and after watching my fourth episode of Scrubs that day, I decided I wanted to do something, anything. I figured I hadn't done much with my day and I was feeling bored, so I wanted to do something productive. I sat there, looking around the room, figuring out what to do. I had no idea. That's when I saw a bit of dirt on the living room floor and it was as if a light bulb went off above my head. I'd clean the living room! I wanted to do something and I was certain that Esme would be thankful, so that's what I decided to do.

I ran to the laundry room and pulled out the cleaning products and a dust cloth before running back into the living room. I was filled with a new found determination now. I was ready to attack the room. I decided to do the dusting first. That way, if any dust got onto the carpet, I could vacuum it all up later! So with that, I began my work. I began dusting around the mantle piece above the fire first. I made sure to clean all the family photos. There was a particularly cute one of Emmett giving Alice a piggy back. Once it was clean, I moved onto the plasma TV, making sure I was very careful. I didn't even want to think about how much it would cost to replace it.

I was finally finished on the living room and so decided to move onto the second living room. Thankfully it was a lot smaller. I dusted of all the shelves and cleaned all of the ornaments. I turned around then and looked at the large piano in the middle of the room, Edward's piano. It was very beautiful, all shiny and black. Perhaps if I cleaned it for him, he might like me more. It was worth a shot, so, with a smile, I set to work on the piano. I cleaned all of the keys first, making sure to bring out the sparkle in the black and ivory. Next, I moved onto the lid. It was particularly large and so I had to stretch to get to the middle of it. It came up quite nicely actually.

My work, however, was suddenly interrupted by a velvety voice.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked me, his eyebrows furrowed. He looked a little confused and his eyes had widened slightly.

"Edward, I was just cleaning your piano and-" but my words were cut short.

"Who said you could touch my piano?!" he asked. I could sense the anger in his voice. I was a little taken aback by it.

"I just thought that it would be nice to clean it for you," I replied in a sweet, if not timid voice.

"Yeah? Well you thought wrong!" he said, the anger very apparent now. He voice was getting quite loud. I actually jumped at his tone.

What was the problem? I didn't understand. I was only cleaning his piano. I thought it was quite a nice gesture really, but he was actually really angry.

"I… I… I'm sorry," I said to him, stuttering my words, worried what might come next.

He just rolled his eyes. "No one touches my piano, no one. Remember that!"

Was he threatening me? I hoped not. That good looking Edward with cute bed hair who helped me this morning was definitely gone now. All that remained was the Edward who hated me for a reason that I didn't know.

"I'm sorry," I tried again, tears stinging my eyes. "I won't touch it, I promise."

"Good, because no one touches it!" he said loudly, making me jump again. I tried to stop the tears as best as I could.

_I won't show weakness, I wont, I won't._

"Edward!" a little voice shouted. He turned around and we both saw Alice standing in the living room.

"What?" he asked, seemingly annoyed.

"Stop shouting at Bella," she told him, moving and finally standing by his side. It was quite a funny sight really, watching a cute little pixie shout at this tall beautiful guy. If I wasn't about to cry, I would have laughed.

"She touched my piano, Alice," he said, pointing an accusing finger at me but keeping his eyes on his little sister at all times.

"She didn't know that she's not supposed to touch it," she shouted back, her hands on her hips. "You can't blame her."

"But _She_ gave me that piano, Alice. You know how special it is to me." She? Who is She?

"I know, Edward. But Bella didn't know that. She apologized so just let it go."

He let out a deep sigh and his face turned to one of slight anger.

"You're all the same, do you know that?" he said, turning suddenly to face me. I looked at Alice, slightly confused.

"Edward," she said warningly.

"You come in here, all smiles and grins but you just use us all as a doormat. You don't care." I didn't quite understand him, but the tone he was using made my eyes well up even more. He was just so angry. The tears threatened to spill.

"Edward," Alice repeated, but all to no avail. His speech continued.

"You just use us as somewhere to stay. You don't care about any of us. You just put up with us and use our house until you can return to mommy and daddy and go back to your life. Well I hate it!"

The words 'mommy' and 'daddy' were all it took for the tears to spill over and there was nothing I could do to stop them. I began to cry. I tried my hardest to wipe the tears away, but new tears just fell in their place.

How could he be so heartless? Is that what he really thought of me? I would never use the Cullen's as a doormat, as he so nicely put it. They were the kindest, most caring family I had ever met. I had nothing but love and adoration for them. I would never treat them that way. And why did he have to bring my parents into this? My mother was dead and my father was who knows where with a group of dangerous men. For all I knew, he could be dead too. Edward Cullen knew nothing of my problems. How could he say those things? The tears just kept falling.

Suddenly his face contorted into one of realization, sadness and pain.

"Bella?" he asked me quietly. His voice was now full of concern. How could he be concerned, especially since it was over what he had just said? He was the one who made my like this! I just ignored him and pushed past him, heading for the stairs.

"Oh, Bella, sweetheart," Alice said as I moved past her. I knew that she just wanted to help, but all I wanted at that moment was to be alone and to just cry. I just wanted all the pent up emotions that I had been feeling since I had come here to be let loose.

I ran up stairs as quickly as I could, hearing Edward call my name one last time before I shut my bedroom door and cut myself off from the world.


	7. Start all over

_Hellooooooooo!_

_A huge thank you goes to Clumsy-Clara, Cuulen0-Lover-101, bells254, AdmiralJoy, Tommygrl1997, Adrianna1120, redhead232, AJ46, cutecoolchicgirl, mindreadingweirdo, sprinter1, chst, CaitlinS., ImmortalSnare, lilmaher and Freakk for their awesome reviews. I really do love to read them (: Keep them coming!_

_We are going back to Edward for this chapter and we will get his take on what just happened between him and Bella. This chapter is a major turning point in the story and I really hope you guys like it._

_The chapter is named after 'Star all over' by Miley Cyrus. Personally, I don't really like Miley Cyrus, I find her annoying and spoilt, but the song title really fitted the chapter, so that's my reasoning. Mock it all you will, but I've chosen it all the same. Lol._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight… well, I own the books… and the DVD. I also own a clock. It's not a twilight clock, but its silver, and pretty. Why am I telling you this?!_

* * *

Edward Cullen's Point of View

Damn it! Why did I just do that? You idiot!

Bella ran past me as quickly as she could, tears streaming down her cheeks and a pang of guilt suddenly appeared in my stomach.

I really shouldn't have done that. She didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve it at all. It was as if all the emotions I had been feeling over the years had suddenly been let loose and sadly, Bella was in the firing line. She looked so heartbroken and I automatically wanted to make it better. I shouted her name again, trying to call her back, but she just dashed past myself and Alice and ran upstairs, heading for her room.

I can't believe I said those things to her. I was just so angry that she touched my piano without permission that I just couldn't hold it all in any longer. I snapped. She didn't know not to touch it; she was the last person who deserved that. Hell, out of all the witnesses, she had been the nicest! I didn't want to admit it to her, but she'd been pretty cool. I was actually starting to like a witness, and it was scaring me. My beliefs were flying straight out of the window. I found it hard to accept that she could do that to me, I had only known her two days after all. Yet, it was happening anyway. I wanted to be her friend and smile around her just the way Alice and Emmett did. I was jealous of Bella's relationship with my siblings and my sibling's relationship with Bella.

I knew that the things I said didn't apply to her. She doesn't use us as a doormat at all and she genuinely seemed to care for my family. But me, being the total utter jack-ass that I am, has to go stir crazy right in her face. This guilt I was beginning to feel was really starting to hurt.

"Edward Anthony Cullen!" my little sister began, breaking me from my thoughts, anger clear in her voice. "You absolute jerk! How could you say those things to her? Did you see what you did to her?" Her arms were flying everywhere.

I merely nodded, looking down at my feet. Yes, I did see the things I did to her. How could I have missed them? Accusing her of things that she hadn't done, judging her before I had really gotten to know her. I was such a fool.

Yet, it was Bella's face that got to me the most. The look of pure hurt and fear that appeared on it was heart breaking. She was so scared of me, but my anger at the time blinded me of that. I just wanted my emotions let loose, no matter who I was aiming them at. It shouldn't have been Bella. She was so scared and timid. I was ashamed of myself.

It wasn't until I saw her falling tears and heard her broken sobs that the anger stopped and suddenly disappeared, realization, regret and guilt taking its place. I couldn't believe I was capable of creating such pain in a person. It was as if in that moment, all the beliefs I held vanished. Suddenly, she wasn't a witness anymore, but a poor innocent girl, wrongly accused of something that she didn't commit and it was all my fault.

"I can't believe you just did that! Did you see her face, Edward? Huh? Did you see her tears?" Alice continued her rant.

"Yeah," I said solemnly. "I did."

Those heart-wrenching tears, that sad expression, that broken sob, all of it was my fault. The guilt twisted even deeper.

Why was I such a jerk? I was in dire need of a good slap round the head or a tap on the nose! Were these beliefs so set deep into my head that I could treat someone that way? When Alec left, he cried, but that didn't affect me at all. Perhaps it was because he arrived so soon after Tanya left. But then again, upsetting Heidi didn't really bother me either. What was it about Bella that made me this way? Perhaps it was because deep down, I knew that she was a good person. She had been nothing but kind and polite to my family and Alice and Emmett loved her. She didn't seem like a witness, she seemed more like a friend. Maybe that's why I let my guard down and likened to her so much.

Bella Swan wasn't the bad guy here, I was.

I couldn't help but smile to myself this morning when I entered the kitchen and saw her stretching as far as she could to grab a bowl. Alice had the same problem, Emmett would always tease her about it. Poor Bella, she was even on her tip toes, trying her hardest to grab the bowl. I didn't want to smile at her, but I did. She just seemed so sweet and innocent, she seemed so determined. Even her tongue was sticking out of her mouth in concentration. I walked over to her and I knew she hadn't seen me as she didn't turn around. I saw her jump a little when I reached up and grabbed the bowl for her. I merely nodded at her when she thanked me. I knew that I had to keep the distant persona up. After I got Bella a bowl, I reached for one for myself.

When she gave me the box of cereal, I nearly gave the game away. She offered me a sweet smile as she handed it to me and I began to smile back. However, I quickly remembered what I had to do and the smile quickly died. The corners of my lips turned up at most. I had a feeling that she was expecting me to sit with her, but I knew I couldn't, so as she headed towards the dining room, I went to the living room. How cool was I? Hiding from the witness.

Then, I snapped at her, sent her running away in fear and sadness. The guilt had flooded my whole body now and it really hurt. I never wanted to feel like this again.

"What the hell is going on?" a confused voice suddenly asked. Alice and I looked up and saw Jasper walking down the stairs. "What's wrong with Bella?"

"Him," she said, pointing an accusing finger at me. "That's what's wrong with Bella."

I dipped my head in shame again.

"Why, what did he do?" Jasper said when he reached Alice, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Well," Alice began, her arms crossed. "Mr. Jack-ass here went and blew his top at Bella. The poor girl didn't know what to do. She couldn't stop crying."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jasper look up at me, yet, being the coward I was, I refused to meet his eye line.

"Well, what did she do?" he asked.

"She cleaned his piano, Jasper. All she did was clean it. It was a friendly gesture and a nice thing to do and he has to go crazy on her." Alice was pretty angry. Of course she was, she loved Bella. Even though they had only known each other for two days, they were practically best friends. This made me feel even worse.

"That it?" Jasper said, shock on his face. "Jeez, Edward."

"I know," I tried. "I know." They didn't know how bad a felt at that moment. Nobody could possibly feel as worse as I did. I was like a monster.

"That's the thing, Edward," Alice began. "You don't know. You always do this and now look what's happened. Bella doesn't have a mean bone in her body. She is the most sweetest and caring person I have ever met. How could you be so cruel?"

I was feeling bad enough without Alice laying the guilt trip on me. I just shook my head and let out a deep breath. I had to make this right. This was all wrong and I had to apologize to Bella. She deserved it. We would make a fresh start and everything would be ok. It had to be.

Wow, where were my beliefs now? I could not find them anywhere. I tried my hardest to find them and apply them to Bella as best as I could, but it was all to no avail. She had actually beaten my beliefs. She wasn't just some annoying witness who had come to live with us and put up with us until she could go home anymore. She was a good person and a wonderful friend. It was odd. My head felt so much lighter without all of prejudices in there.

It was like I had an epiphany. Bella had won… she had beaten the evil sick monster that was my prejudices and my beliefs, and I was happy about it. The monster was dead. No more ignoring her, no more nasty comments, no more hate. I would be what Alice and Emmett are to her, I would be a friend. The only problem now was getting her to forgive me. If I were her, I would be reluctant to give out my forgiveness, especially after my behavior. Yet, Bella was sweet and kind. I knew that she had it in her somewhere, deep down, to forgive me.

"I'm sorry," I said to my sister, making full eye contact with her now.

"You should be!" she replied. "And its not me who you should be apologizing to."

"I know. I'm going to apologize. I'm going to set everything right." Determination was now joining the guilt. It was an odd combination of feelings to experience.

"So you should," she said to me. "But not yet."

"Why?" I asked, totally confused. I needed to say sorry now. I needed to fix it all now. What was the hold up?

"Edward, you saw how she ignored us. She needs sometime to herself. She needs to cool off. Give her a moment."

Alice's reasoning sounded understandable and I knew that now would not be the best time to go barging in and saying sorry as much as I could. I would wait, wait until the two of us had calmed down and had time to think. Then I would approach her.

"Ok," I said defeated. This was the best way to go about things.

"Good," Alice smiles. "And I won't for give you till Bella forgives you."

"Fine," I said, knowing that my sister would be set on acting like this.

"Ok!" she said skipping over to me and kissing me on the cheek. With that, she went back over to Jasper, grabbed his hand and went to the kitchen.

_Weird little pixie! _

One minute she shouts at me and in the same breath she gives me a sisterly kiss. It's like she's bipolar. Then again, I wasn't much better, was I?

I turned my head then and glanced at the clock on the mantle piece above the fire place. 5.30pm. Right, I would give it till 7pm, when we have dinner, then go up and talk to her. One and a half hours is long enough, right? I just hoped it was. I wanted to get this sorted as soon as I could.

I walked over to my piano then, sitting down on the bench as soon as I reached it. This was the thing that started it all. My beautiful piano, my prized possession, my most favorite item. I loved it so much. It was so special to me and the memories that it held would remain with me forever. Alice was right. Bella didn't know not to touch it. She didn't know what this piano meant to me, the feelings it held, the emotions it stirred, the people it made me think about. No-one had ever told her and I had made her find out in the most horrible way. Jerk!

I looked over it and smiled. She had done a really good job of cleaning it. It was so shiny and clean, sparkling even. It hadn't looked this good in years. I was quite proud of Bella for doing that for me. She had done it out of the goodness of her heart and it showed what a good, kind person she really was. Yet, like the idiot I am, I had to go and throw it back in her face. I knew when I apologized to her, I would have to thank her too. I really liked it.

Finally, I let out a deep sigh, closed my eyes, pressed my fingers to the keys and began to play.

My eyes suddenly shot wide open. There it was again! That melody, that soft song… that lullaby. What the hell was it? For the life of me, I couldn't figure out where it had come from. But it was so beautiful, so gentle. I enjoyed playing it. Yet, I couldn't understand why I was playing it. It had come from no where and now, it wouldn't leave… not that I wanted it to. I couldn't quite understand it but I continued to play it anyway. After that, I played Clair de Lune and then played the lullaby again. I must have played it 5 times, playing it each time I finished another song.

I suddenly looked up at the clock and saw that it was 6.55pm. Had I really been playing for that long? What was with this lullaby? It was just like Bella, taking up a lot of my time and being in a lot of my thoughts. I didn't get it.

The aroma of pizza filled the house as I heard my mom pull it out of the oven. We always had pizza on a Sunday night. Sunday lunch was usually so big, so we usually just had a few slices of pizza. We could only manage a small meal.

"Kids! Pizza!" I heard her shout from the kitchen. I got up from the piano bench and made my way to the kitchen. My mom was standing there cutting up the pizza, putting a few slices onto each plate. She smiled at me when she saw me enter the room.

"There you go, sweetie," she said, gesturing to a plate.

"Thanks, mom," I said, grabbing two plates. "I'll go and give Bella her dinner."

"Alright, Edward," she said, continuing to cut up the food.

I walked into the living room and took a deep breath.

_This is it, Edward. Go say sorry. Make her feel better. Go fix it. Go, Edward, go!_

With my pep talk fresh in my head, I ascended the stairs, strong and determined. Just as I walked down the hall way, Alice and Jasper left Alice's room. Alice gave me an expectant look.

"Yes, I'm going to apologize," I told her, answering the question that her eyes were asking me.

"Good," she said. "Now lets go get some pizza." She grabbed Jasper's hand and ran down the stairs. I just rolled my eyes at the crazy pixie. I walked down the hallway until I was finally standing outside Bella's door. I knew I had to be cool, calm, collected and as gentle as possible. I just prayed that she would forgive me.

Gravity was thankfully on my side as I managed to balance two plates on one hand so that I could knock on her door with the other. I raised my hand and my knuckles hit the door three times. There was no answer. I tried again and still, there was no answer. I tried for a third time and that time, I used my voice.

"Bella?" I asked as gently as possible. "Bella, it's Edward. Can I come in?"

After a few moments of silence, I heard movement in the room and was completely shocked when she opened the door to me. The guilt twisted in my stomach again when I saw her red puffy eyes and the dried tears across her face. Had she been crying all this time?

_Yes, she has. And it's all your fault._

"I brought you dinner," I said with a gentle smile, trying to ignore my conscience shouting at me.

"Thanks," she said in a monotone voice which was still broken from the crying she had done. She refused to make eye contact as she took the plate from my hand.

"Erm… can I come in?" I asked her, my voice full of hope.

I was waiting for her refusal. If I were her, I'd refuse to let me in. She looked down at the floor, deep in thought, her bottom lip between her teeth until she finally let out a deep breath and moved aside, allowing me to enter. I was just as shocked as I was when she opened the door to me. I couldn't believe she was allowing me in! I entered the room quickly, worried that she might change her mind and she closed the door behind me. I just stood there in the middle of the room, it was impolite to sit on her bed without her permission. She moved past me and sat down on her bed, her legs spread in front of her, crossed. I smiled to myself at the sight of her. She was wearing her blue pajamas, but on her feet were a pair of bright pink fluffy bed socks, which I knew were courtesy of Alice. Only my little sister!

"Can I sit down?" I asked her. She merely nodded and began to nibble at her pizza. I sat down on the foot of her bed and crossed my legs Indian style. I then began to eat my pizza too. I noticed that Bella did not eat the crust of her pizza, just like me and Alice. Emmett usually ate it all and sometimes asked for seconds. We sat in silence for a few minutes whilst we ate. It was a peaceful silence, yet, for me, it was an uncomfortable one. I glanced over to her bedside table and noticed the pile of used tissue, all of it full of her tears, tears that were there because of me. I needed to talk to her… badly, but I didn't want to push her. It was my fault that she was like this after all. However, I needed to do something. Perhaps a little light conversation might help.

"Do you like the pizza?" I tried. Nothing better to talk about in a heavy tensioned situation than pizza.

_Pizza, the answer to all of life's problems._

She nodded at me. "Yeah, it's nice." Her voice was gentle and soft and probably hurting from all of the crying.

"Mom always makes it on a Sunday night because Sunday lunch is always so big. Well, its big for us, Emmett could probably eat it twice over!" I joked. Perhaps a little light comedy could make her smile. And indeed it did. The smile was very gentle and hard to recognize but it was a smile all the same.

When she had finished her pizza, I took the plate from her and piled it up with mine, placing it on the floor, out of the way, but I remained cross legged on the bed. This was it, one of the biggest things I would ever do in my life. Sure, to anyone else, this would have been easy as pie, nothing to worry about, nice and simple. But me, no. This was a big move and I was going to make it good. I looked down at her and noticed that she was playing with the hem of her pajama top, clearly nervous.

"Bella, listen," I began, nervous as hell. What if she didn't forgive me? What if she did?! She looked up at me when I mentioned her name. "About what happened earlier, I- I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so very sorry. I shouldn't have said those things to you and I cannot apologize enough. I was an idiot." I knew that my words were rushed, but I needed to get them out into the open. She needed to hear what I had to say.

She gently nodded her head at me. "They really hurt, you know."

"I know, I know," I said, that uncomfortable guilt making a reappearance. It had really been showing its face a lot today. I edged closer to her on the bed. I ran my fingers through my unruly hair. "It was wrong of me, so wrong. I don't know why I did it. I felt like a total monster after I said it all and I'm truly, truly sorry." I felt like I was pouring my heart out here. It was strange, almost as if it were the most truthful thing I had ever said in my life.

Bella was quiet for a moment, her lip going back between her teeth, she was obviously deep in thought. I wouldn't push her, I would give her all the time in the world. I had been a total ass and her forgiveness would be a big thing. I just hoped that I would get it.

Finally, she spoke, her voice gentle. "Do you mean it?"

"More than anything," I said, nodding my head vigorously. "I will never say or do anything like that to you again. I just feel so guilty and I'm really sorry."

She was quiet again, her lip once again returning between her teeth and her eyebrows were now furrowed. This really was a big thing to think over. I mean, I had been like this for two days to her, treating her like a monster, when really the monster was me. Finally, she looked back at me and nodded.

"OK," was all she said.

"Ok?" I asked eagerly. Was she really forgiving me?

"Ok, I forgive you," she smiled. It wasn't a full smile, like I had seen on her face when she was around my siblings, but I would take whatever she would give me. I actually had her forgiveness.

"Thanks, Bella," I said smiling back.

Thank god she had forgiven me. But that's Bella. She really was a good person and had such a kind heart. I knew that I would now have to earn her trust and believe me, I would earn it. And when I had it, I would make sure to keep it forever.

"Fresh start?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Yeah, fresh start."

We both smiled for a few seconds before Bella's eyebrows furrowed again.

"Can I ask you something?" she said, playing with her fingers.

"Of course. Anything."

"Why did you do it? I mean, you've been like this since Friday and I was curious as to why."

I began to chuckle to myself. "I've been a total jerk, right?"

"A little," she smiled. I knew that she meant it in good humor. "Was it me? Did I do something wrong?"

Only Bella could possibly blame herself for my behavior!

"No," I replied. "It wasn't you at all. Its just… witnesses in general."

"Why? What happened?"

My smile slowly faded then and I let out a deep sigh. She wanted to know my reasoning, she wanted to know why I treated her the way I did and if I'm honest, she deserved to know. She should know why I had treated her so poorly. I tried to figure out how best to say it. Sure, I wanted to tell her, but the memories it would bring up were going to be difficult to accept. It was a dark part of my life, something I never wanted repeated… for all of us. It wasn't just me who was affected by what happened. She wanted to know what all my beliefs were based on.

"Edward?" she asked, breaking me from my thoughts. She placed her hand on my forearm to grab my attention when suddenly, a jolt of electricity shot through my body. Bella must have felt it too because she quickly pulled her hand away.

"What the hell was that?" she asked, echoing my thoughts.

I shook my head. "No idea." What actually was it? I've never known humans give off an electric current before. But I forgot about it quickly. I would muse about it later, I still needed to tell her my reasons.

"Edward?" she tried again. This was it. I picked at the bed cotton on the bed quilt as I spoke.

"My family has been taking in witnesses for many years. Something my mom and dad wanted to do."

"Why?" Bella asked.

This was something I could not discuss yet, not because I didn't want Bella to know, but because it was something that I didn't want to remember. I would tell her at some point, but not now. I wasn't ready. I knew that I would be ready to remember someday. I ignored her question and carried on with my story. Bella seemed to accept this.

"When I was 14, we had a witness come to stay with us. Tanya. She was 16 at the time and she stayed with us for a few weeks. In all honesty, she seemed really nice for the first few days. She seemed really taken with the family." I clenched my hand into a fist. "Then she changed."

"Changed?" Bella enquired.

"It was like one morning she woke up and she was different. She had this… thing for me."

"Thing?" Bella said, confused.

"A crush," I answered. "She tried countless times to make me return the crush, but I wasn't having any of it. She was a friend, nothing more. But she wouldn't let it go. She was constantly trying to win my affections. In fact, one time, I walked into my room and found her lying across my bed in nothing but her underwear."

"Whoa," Bella asked.

"I know," I said. "That was the final straw. I'd had enough and told her once and for all, I wasn't interested. I had no feelings for her what so ever." I let out a deep sigh. "She was different after that. She would talk to Alice a lot in secret. It was around that time that Alice and Jasper were really starting to get on well. Then one day, I walked in the house and Alice began screaming at me, shouting at me, accusing me of being horrible and cruel and saying that it was all my fault."

"For doing what?" Bella asked, totally enraptured in my story.

"Tanya had told her that I had been talking to Jasper and showing Alice in a bad light. She claimed that I was jealous and was trying to split them up and that Jasper wasn't interested at all. Jasper had told her that he didn't return her feelings, when the truth was, he did."

"Oh my god."

"I know. Turned out Tanya had been talking to Jasper too, saying that Alice didn't like him that way. So he stopped seeing her. Tanya told Alice that I had done it. She turned my little sister against me. Alice didn't talk to me for days, she was heartbroken. All she would do was cry and tell me how much she hated me. Thankfully, I managed to talk to Jasper in those few days and I sorted everything out. It wasn't until a few years later that they began their relationship, but at least they were friends again."

"How could Tanya do that?" Bella asked me.

"It's because I didn't return her feelings. Thankfully, Alice forgave me for what happened."

"Well that was good," Bella smiled.

"That's not the end of the story," I said. Bella's mouth dropped incredulously. "After that, Tanya became extremely jealous of mine and Alice's relationship. As siblings, we had always been close. I mean, she's my little sister. I love her, but Tanya hated all the attention Alice got from me. So she began to bully her. She'd push Alice around, pick on her, the usual bullying routine."

"Why didn't you stop it?" Bella asked.

"Because we didn't know it was going on. It was all done behind closed doors and Alice was too scared to tell us."

"What an evil cow!" Bella said angrily. I was glad that she shared my sentiments on the subject. I had a feeling that she was beginning to understand why I acted the way I did around her.

"Jasper came to me finally saying that Alice had confided in him everything that Tanya had done to her. To say I was angry was an understatement. No-one does that to my little sister. Mom and dad were told and Tanya was eventually given to another family. We were so relieved, especially Alice. And it was all my fault."

"Edward, you can't say that," Bella told me.

"It was because of me that Tanya did all those things. All because I didn't return her feelings. I couldn't believe that a person could do something like that. So, from then on, I hated all witnesses. After what Tanya did, I couldn't look at them the same again."

"Wow," was all that Bella could say.

"Yeah, wow. And that's why I acted like that around you. I didn't know if you were another Tanya."

"I would never do that," she said in all seriousness. "Your family have done so much for me. I could never treat you guys that way. Ever."

I smiled at her then. She was speaking so truthfully. She was so good and kind and pure that I couldn't quite believe that I had ever thought that she was capable of doing what Tanya did. Their names should never be used in the same sentence. Bella was so much better than that. "I know and I'm sorry. But now you know why."

"I do know why, and I do forgive you. I can understand your reasoning. You were just looking out for your family and your little sister. It's ok, Edward."

"I'd like to start over again," I told her, looking her in the eyes.

She smiled then. "I'd like that."

"You would?"

"Uh-huh," she nodded.

I smiled too and held my hand out to her. "Hi. I'm Edward Cullen."

She giggled and took my hand, shaking it. "Pleased to meet you, Edward. I'm Isabella Swan."

The electricity from before shot through my arm, but this time, neither of us let go. I had done the unexpected. I had welcomed a witness into my life. No, she wasn't a witness anymore, she was my friend and hopefully, she would be my friend for a long time to come.

As we sat there, smiling and shaking hands, I knew that this was to be the start of a new and wonderful beginning. Change was in the air.


	8. High school never ends

_Hi everyone!_

_Thank you's go to bells254, Cullen0-Lover-101, Freakk, chst, Tommygrl1997, sprinter1, twilightluver39, edwardlover213, miscymist78, luvnovel123, Clumsy-Clara, lilmaher, twinkletwi and AdmiralJoy for their reviews. You guys keep the smile on my face and I'm not ashamed to admit that I do a little happy dance when I receive your reviews. So keep them coming!_

_How are we all today? The F1 2009 season finished yesterday, so I'm really sad about that. I follow the F1 religiously, its my favorite sport. I'm going to miss it, but at least it will be back in March! So, if you really want to cheer me up, send me a review ;)_

_This chapter is named after 'High School never ends' by Bowling for soup and I have to admit, I really liked writing this one now that Edward and Bella are friends. Writing all of the hatred between them was annoying me. I just wanted them to stop! But all is well now, so I hope you guys like it._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but New Moon comes out this month… WOOH HOO!!!!!_

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Bella Swan's Point of View

As I opened my eyes the next morning, I immediately wanted to close them again. It wasn't because I was tired and it wasn't because I wanted to remain in bed. It was because nerves had flooded through my whole body and it felt like a swarm of butterflies had taken up residence in my stomach. I glanced over at the clock and saw that it was 6.45am. I groaned to myself before I slowly sat up and rubbed my eyes awake. Today was a special day - my first day at Forks High School.

It was bad enough being the new girl in the Cullen house, but being the new girl at high school was even scarier. I had no idea what the place was like or what the people would be like. I wasn't an idiot, I had seen the film Mean Girls and I knew how the new kid could be treated. Even though I knew I would have the Cullen's behind me, I was still terrified. I hated not knowing anything. I knew that today was going to be a weird one, whatever happens.

I looked down at the floor to the side of my bed through freshly awake eyes and noticed that the plates from last night had been moved and were gone. Edward must have taken them with him when he left.

An involuntary smile suddenly found its way onto my lips.

I was still trying to figure out if last night had all really been a dream. We were friends, we were actually friends! It was just so unbelievable. Edward had come into my room - with pizza, I might add - and totally apologized for his behavior. Now I had the love and respect of all the Cullen's and I had to say, it felt pretty damn good!

I had been crying for a while before Edward had come up. In fact, I had been crying for so long that I didn't think I had any tears left in me. I was totally worn out. I wasn't just crying over his outburst, which had really upset me, but also at the fact that my parents had been dragged into it. It was the fact that even though he said I would, I knew I would never go back to them again. Sure, I hoped I would go back to my dad someday, but my mom? Never again. And I found that the more I thought about it, the more the tears would fall.

That's when I heard a sudden knock on my door. I was tired, sad and just generally weak after all the crying so I didn't even bother to move. I just lay there, wallowing in self pity. That's when I heard it knock for a second time. I figured it was rude to ignore the person, but I just couldn't find the strength to go answer the door. I just wanted to be alone. However, I was suddenly very awake and alert when I heard his velvety voice calling after the third knock.

Why was Edward there?

What could he possibly want? He hated me and he had made that very clear to me only a few hours earlier. His presence was odd and it confused me. Curiosity got the best of me however, and I somehow found myself walking to my door and slowly opening it. There he was, standing there, a gentle smile on his face and pizza in his hands. He seemed like a totally different Edward compared to the one I had seen earlier. The anger that was in his eyes before had disappeared. He seemed much calmer and more relaxed now.

After much thought and deliberation, I allowed him into my room. I had no idea why I let him in; after all, he had been mean, thoughtless, spiteful and downright horrible to me. But like I said, curiosity was getting the better of me. I wanted to know what he had to say for himself. After the way he had been, not only that night, but over the whole weekend, I knew that coming into my room and acting this way around me was pretty big for him. I had to know what was going on.

We were silent for ages, just sitting there and eating our pizza. There was no way that I was going to be the first one to speak. I hadn't done anything; he was the one who went stir-crazy on me. I chanced a few glances up at him and noticed that he seemed deep in thought. I just wished I knew what he was thinking about. Edward Cullen had to be one of the most confusing people I had ever met and what happened earlier just strengthened that thought. I just remained silent and carried on eating, waiting to hear what he had to say. He cracked a few jokes and I could not help but smile at them. Was he trying to make me feel better? It was the least he could try to do after what he had done to me.

That was when he apologized and if I hadn't been there in person to witness it, I never would have thought he had said it to me. Edward Cullen was apologizing to _me_. Sure, it was what I wanted, of course it was, but I couldn't believe the words were falling from his lips. I never thought I would have heard him say those nice, sweet things to me in all my life. And he sounded so… sad. It was like it was torturing him and not in the sense that he was saying it against his will. It was as if he meant every single word he said and that my sadness was actually hurting him. He was so truthful and I could sense his guilt at what happened as he spoke. This seemed to have affected him just as much as it affected me.

I had to forgive him. The truthfulness in his words and in his eyes showed me that he really did care. Sure, I was hurt, but so was he. The pain was eating away at him and he must have said the most heartfelt apology that I had ever heard. So I accepted it, how could I not?

And so we became friends. _Edward Cullen was my friend. _No matter how many times I had said it to myself, it still sounded so alien. He was actually my friend and I was so happy. And it was weird. To me, it felt as if this little problem at the beginning would strengthen our friendship and make us closer. I would make sure that something like this never came between us again. We would be friends for a long time, I was sure of it. Yet, I still wasn't too sure what this something was. Why had he acted the way he did? It had been bugging me for so long; I was dying for the answer. So I asked him and I was not prepared for what I heard.

It was like something from a movie. The hurt and pain the family must have felt. She had turned them all against each other, all for her selfish agenda, all to get Edward. And poor Alice, poor poor Alice. How she came out of something like that with such a smile on her face was amazing to me. If Edward had not told me the story, I would never would have believed something like that had happened to her. She was so brave… they all were. I had a new sense of respect for my new friends. If they could get through something like that, then I knew Edward and I could get through our problem, I just knew we would.

Breaking myself from my thoughts, I let out a deep sigh and got out of bed. Thankfully, I didn't feel the cold carpet under my feet as I was still wearing the pink fluffy bed socks I had worn last night. Alice had insisted I had them when we went to the mall. I had a large stretch to try and wake up my body before walking out of the room and down stairs. I was starving and in dire need of some breakfast.

"Bella!" I heard as I reached the stairs. I turned round and saw Alice smiling at me. I couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Morning, Alice," I said happily. She reached me and we walked down the stairs together. She linked her arm with mine.

"You nervous about today?" she enquired.

I nodded at her, the nerves suddenly reappearing at the mention of the day ahead. "Yeah."

"Well, don't worry," she said, tapping my arm. "Edward or Jasper will be in all of your classes. We will all look after you."

"Thanks, Alice," I replied to her. She was right. The Cullen's would have my back; I had nothing to worry about. It still didn't stop those annoying butterflies though.

When we reached the bottom of the stairs, we headed into the kitchen, our arms still linked. I jumped a little when we saw Edward standing next to the kettle, waiting for it to boil. A gentle blush crept upon my cheeks when I saw that bed hair again. It really was going to be the death of me. I brought my mind away from it and slowly, the blush thankfully died away. He turned his head to us when he spotted us and he smiled.

"Morning, ladies," he said to us.

"Bella," Alice whispered to me quickly. "Have you forgiven him?"

"Yes," I told her.

"Then… good morning, Edward!" Alice said gleefully. I saw Edward roll his eyes at her and shake his head and I had to chuckle to myself. Alice skipped over to the cupboard to retrieve some bread. I assumed that we were having toast for breakfast.

"Alice told me that she wouldn't speak to me unless you forgave me for what happened," Edward said to me, folding his arms, filling me in on what happened between them.

"Oh, well I forgave him, so speak to him all you want," I smiled at Alice.

"So… does that mean you two are friends now?" Alice said.

Edward and I looked at each other before Edward turned to her and nodded his head. "Yes, it does."

"YAY!" she squealed, jumping up and down on the spot and clapping her hands. "I am so happy!"

Edward and I both laughed to ourselves at her enthusiasm. I was glad that she was happy. Perhaps life at the Cullen house wouldn't be so bad after all. The Edward that I was seeing before me now was the Edward that I wanted to get to know better. He was the Edward who would be my friend and I had to say, I liked him like this. Our laughter soon died down, but the smiles remained on our faces. The kettle clicked to indicate that it had boiled and Edward gave me a quick wink before he turned to make his hot drink.

_Oh lord, Edward Cullen winked at me! That, combined with the bed hair, is a winning combination._

I quickly shook my head at those thoughts and moved over to Alice to make my breakfast. Best stick to being friends. After all, it's took long enough to just get that far.

Once breakfast was eaten, my hair done and my outfit 'Alice Approved' (which we all had to go through), we were all finally ready for school. I pulled my backpack onto my back and let out the deep breath that I didn't know I was holding in. My nerves had increased ten fold over the duration of the morning and I was worried that I was heading for a panic attack. High school was tough, not just academically, but socially. I knew I was going to get eaten alive!

"Bella, I have your dinner money ready, sweetheart," Esme said to me, handing me the money. I put it in my pocket and said thanks. "You excited for today?"

"Erm, yeah," I replied. I knew I wasn't convincing. My nerves were clearly showing.

"Don't worry, Bella. Alice, Jasper and I will take care of you," Edward said, zipping up his rucksack.

"Really?"

"Yeah, course we will," Alice smiled.

Their words made me feel much better, even though I knew they would look after me anyway. Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

"Right, that's Jasper," Esme began. "Have a good day at school, kids."

She kissed us each on the cheek and we quickly opened the front door and left the house.

"Hey guys!" Jasper said when we saw him. Edward and I greeted him whilst Alice did the usual and jumped right into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him so tightly, I was afraid that the poor guy couldn't breath.

"Which car are we taking?" I asked as we walked around the house and headed for the garage. Deep down, I prayed for the Porsche, but I knew we weren't going to turn up to school in a car like that. A small part of me still wished for it though!

"We usually take my Volvo to school," Edward explained, opening the garage door. "It's less fancy than some of the cars."

_Damn it! I wanted the Porsche!_

Leaving my conscious to go and sulk in a corner, I headed over to the Silver Volvo. I noticed Carlisle's Mercedes and Emmett's Jeep were missing. I assumed they had already gone to work and college. Once Edward unlocked the car, Alice and Jasper jumped into the back. I assumed this therefore meant I was sitting in the front. I quickly got in and put on my seatbelt. Wow, the last time I was in this car was when Edward and I had our first conversation. That was back when he hated me and boy how times had changed. Edward got into the car, put on his seatbelt, switched on the engine and backed out of the garage. Soon enough, we headed down the hidden drive and were on the road.

I had no idea how long the drive to school would be, but it gave me a great view of the area. I saw much more than I did during my morning walk the other day. We went much further than I had gone too. Just as we were hitting a busy road, Edward moved his arm forward and began to mess with the radio. I was so happy when Clair de Lune filled the car again. Edward must have seen my smile as his face seemed to light up too.

"Oh, Edward," Alice began to whine. "Can't you put something good on?"

"Debussy is good, Alice," Edward told his sister.

"But he's boring."

"I think his music is beautiful," I argued.

"Exactly, and since its Bella's first day, she should decide what we listen too," Edward said. I liked his reasoning and quickly agreed.

"Fine," Alice said, folding her arms and slumping in her seat. I knew we had won and Debussy made the journey to school much more relaxing almost as if it was brushing the nerves away; I was much more at ease. I enjoyed having Edward on my side for once. It made me feel much better and from the sweet smile he gave me at our victory, it made him feel better too. Yet, the sight of the busy car park of Forks High School brought those nerves back in full flow. There were kids and cars everywhere, laughing talking, joking around. There was definitely a colony of butterflies in my stomach now. Edward quickly parked the car.

As Alice and Jasper got out of the car, my eyes widened at the sight before me. It was like a jungle, just people and vehicles everywhere. A hand on my shoulder made me jump a little. I turned and saw that the hand belonged to Edward. His face looked sympathetic.

"Bella, chill," he began. "It's going to be fine. Like I said, we'll take care of you."

"What if everyone hates me?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "Bella, they're going to love you. And if they don't, well, they can go to hell. After all, what's there not to like?"

His words made my stomach feel warm and I just nodded at him, feeling somewhat better. I took off my seatbelt and got out of the car. Edward followed suit and we quickly joined Alice and Jasper.

"Ready?" Jasper asked me, his hand linked with Alice's.

I let out a deep sigh. "Let's do it."

With that, we began walking and headed for the offices. I noticed how many stares I got from different people during our short journey. Both boys and girls looked at me. Some had smiles on their faces whilst others were looking me up and down, obviously assessing me. And so the social jungle of High School begins!

"You ok?" Edward whispered to me, gently grabbing my arm.

"Peachy," I said with a fake smile. We were quickly across the battle field - I mean car park, and were finally at the double doors that led into the school. Edward held the doors open for us as we all walked in. The building was warm compared to the cold November air outside and I was thankful for it. It was soothing. The four of us headed for the front desk where we saw a woman behind it.

"Ms. Cope?" Alice said to the woman. The woman looked up at Alice. "This is Isabella Swanson, the new girl."

Swanson. Boy, that was going to be difficult to get used to. Since I was in the Witness Protection Programme, I had to change my name for safety reasons, and the easiest choice seemed to be Swanson. It was similar to my real name and so would not be difficult to remember. The Cullen's would call me by my real name, but for public use, it had to be changed. It was for my safety after all. I would still have to get used to it though. I was quite thankful really that I was allowed to keep my first name as it already was.

"Oh yes. Hello, dear," Ms. Cope replied. "I have your timetable and everything here."

After what seemed like forever, all the paper work was sorted and the bell rang for the start of the day. I glanced down at my timetable.

"I have history first," I said.

"Oh, you will have that with Jasper," Alice smiled. "He'll look after you."

"Ok," I smiled.

"Oh, good luck on your first day, Bella," Alice said embracing me in a hug. "We'll see you at lunch, ok?"

"Alright," I smiled at her once I was released from her death grip. Edward approached me then.

"Good luck, Bella. And don't worry," he smiled at me, placing his hand on my shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. "You'll be fine."

"Ok. Thanks, Edward."

"Come on, Bella or else we'll be late," Jasper said, looking down at his watch.

"Right, see you later guys." And with that, I left for my first day at Forks High.

The morning seemed to go by pretty quickly. History went without any major problems and I found that I had English second with Edward. I was a bit annoyed though when we were given an essay to do for homework. It was my first day too. I had Trig for third period and Jasper was in that again. Everything seemed to go well apart from two girls who kept attempting to give me death glares. Jessica and Lauren I think their names were. I had no idea what their problem was. A guy called Mike Newton was beginning to annoy me too, but for a whole different reason. Whilst Jessica and Lauren gave me death glares, he kept staring at me and giving me a goofy grin. It was really uncomfortable. Thankfully, it was finally time for lunch after third period and I sure was glad. My stomach had been talking to me all morning. Jasper and I entered the Cafeteria and found Alice and Edward already at a table. We headed over.

"Bella! How's your first day gone so far?" Alice asked me as I took a seat. I noticed the tray of food in front of her already. Edward already had his lunch too.

"Pretty well actually," I replied. "I really want something to eat though." She nodded, so I got up from my seat and headed over to where the food was served. I grabbed a tray and joined the queue. I stood in line for a while and finally managed to see what the food was. There was quite a lot of choice really, a lot more than there was back at my old school in Phoenix. I tapped my chin, deciding what to have.

"The burgers are pretty good. So are the chips. Well considering its school food, it tastes pretty good anyway," a mysterious voice said behind me. I turned around and came face to face with a boy. Well, I say face to face, more like face to chest. The guy was huge! He was very tanned and seemed to have long black hair tied back into a pony tail. A sweet smile graced his lips.

"Oh, thanks," I smiled at him. "Good to know."

"The lasagna isn't too bad either, but they only serve that on Wednesdays."

"Damn, I really like lasagna too," I joked. He began to laugh.

"Me too. I guess great minds think alike! I'm Jacob," he said, offering me his hand.

"Hi, I'm Bella," I replied, shaking it. Jacob seemed really sweet. He had been the first person today, other than the Cullen's, who had helped me and decided to have a conversation with me. I liked him already.

"Your new here! So, how you finding the school?" he asked me as we moved further along in the queue. Jeez, news of the new girl sure gets around fast in this place. But I was glad that someone was being nice to me.

"It's been good. I'm really enjoying it," I replied with a nod.

"Well, that's good. I thi-" But his words were quickly stopped.

"You ok, Bella?" Edward suddenly asked from my side. I hadn't even heard him come over. He made me jump a little.

"Oh. Yeah, I'm fine," I smiled. "Jacob here was just helping me." Edward's eyes moved to look over at Jacob and my smile quickly died when I saw the glares they were giving each other. The atmosphere suddenly became tense. I looked between the two and had no idea what the hell was going on. It was like they were trying to stare each other down or kill each other with their eyes. It was really weird and I had no idea where they came from.

"Jacob," Edward said in greeting.

"Edward," Jacob replied. You could feel the hatred in the air and I had to admit, it was pretty uncomfortable. I wondered what their problem was. That's when Jacob suddenly put his tray back onto the pile. I looked at him with a confused expression.

"Jacob, aren't you going to have anything to eat?"

"No, I've lost my appetite," he replied, his eyes never leaving Edward's. "I'll see you around, Bella." And with that, he turned around and left the Cafeteria.

"Bye, Jacob," I called, not knowing if he had heard me or not. Edward and I moved further down in the queue. I turned my head to face him. "Ok, what was all that about?" Confusion filled my voice.

He began to chuckle to himself then and shake his head. "Nothing. It doesn't really matter."

"Clearly it does. Please, tell me," I said in a gentle voice, clutching onto his arm. He could not let me watch all of that and then not tell me the reason behind it all. He looked down to my hand on his arm and then to my eyes. He seemed somewhat torn about whether to tell me. He had told me about Tanya, this couldn't be any worse.

He let out a deep sigh. "I just don't want it to affect your judgment of Jacob. I'm the one who has the problem, not you."

"I want to know," I said, clutching his arm a little tighter. We moved further along in the queue and I grabbed a burger on Jacob's recommendation. Edward's green orbs bore into mine and I tried my hardest to convince him with my eyes to tell me the story

"Ok," Edward began. He made sure to keep his voice low so that only I could hear. "I used to be close to Jacob. We used to be really close friends, almost as close as my friendship with Jasper. We went through Kindergarten together, Elementary School, all the way to here at High School. He really was like my brother." We moved further along in the queue. "Then a new girl came to our school. Her name was Leah and the second Jacob laid eyes on her, he was smitten. He really was. It was good to see him so happy and I welcomed the crush he had on her."

I was listening intently. Edward continued. "So one day, he decided he was going to tell her his feelings and get it all off of his chest. Jasper and I were behind him all the way. So he did."

"Then what?" I asked.

"Turns out Leah didn't feel the same. She liked someone else."

"Who?" I asked, feeling rather bad for Jacob.

He quickly ran his hand through his messy bronze hair. "Me."

"You?" I asked, a little surprised. That's the second girl I had heard about in less than a day who has had a crush on Edward Cullen. But why was I surprised? I mean, look at him. Nobody can deny his good looks, beautiful hair and smoldering eyes. It's obvious to see why girls have crushes on him. It wasn't all that surprising really.

"Yeah," he said. "I don't know why she liked me but Jacob stormed away and refused to speak to me, saying it was all my fault." I had heard that before. Alice had said the same thing to him when Tanya had fed her all those lies. My heart welled up for Edward. No-one seemed to understand him. He really was the victim in all of this. "He hasn't spoken to me since."

"All because of a girl? Wow, I'm sorry, Edward," I said, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. The electric current that shot through us felt nice and I just wanted to show him he had a friend in all of this. He shouldn't feel bad for what happened.

"Thanks, Bella," he replied, squeezing my hand back. "I'm just telling you so that history doesn't repeat itself. Thanks for listening." I nodded with a grin as we walked to the end of the queue, still hand in hand, until we finally reached where we had to pay. With my free hand, I fumbled in my pocket for the dinner money Esme had given me earlier. Edward suddenly stopped me.

"I'll get this," he smiled, letting go of my hand and handing the woman some money.

I smiled back. "Really? Thanks, Edward." That was so kind of him and I was really grateful that our friendship was really moving along. All was well. He winked at me as the lady gave him his change, which caused a profuse blush to spread across my cheeks. Edward began to laugh at it as we made our way back to the table. This only made me blush more. It was so embarrassing. He knew that he was clearly having some sort of weird affect on me.

"Bella?" he asked as we walked across the Cafeteria.

"Yes?"

"Don't let it affect how you think about Jacob, ok? He is a good guy and was a really good friend."

"Don't worry, I won't," I replied once we hit our table. Alice and Jasper were deep in conversation and busy eating. I sat down, along with Edward and tucked into my food. Jacob was right, it was pretty good!

My mind began to wonder as I ate. I liked Jacob, he seemed really sweet. He had helped me a lot and put me very much at ease. He showed me that the students of Forks High could be really nice and welcoming after all. Yet, what Edward had told me had changed what I thought of him. Even though Edward told me not to let it change my view of him, it had. Sure, I liked Jacob and wanted to be his friend, but Edward came first in my eyes. He was finally my friend at long last and I would always be on his side, no matter what. Jacob had clearly hurt him and it had upset me too. I knew that if Edward ever needed me, I would go running to him. Out of the two of them, Edward was my priority. I would try to be friends with Jacob, but if it ever got too much for Edward, I knew I would back down.

I turned to look at Edward and saw that he was looking directly at me with a smile, his eyes boring into mine. My breathing hitched a little at the intensity of his gaze, but I quickly relaxed and returned the smile.

_How long had he been looking at me like that?_

I wasn't complaining though. It was… nice. He gave me a quick wink before he turned back to his food. My blush returned full force at the sight of it and I knew he had seen it as he began to chuckle to himself. I smiled too and continued to eat.

It had been a long day at school and I knew it would continue to be so. But I as I continued to chance glances over at the bronze haired guy next to me and he continued to chance glances at me, I realized something.

I really liked the new Edward Cullen and I hoped he was here to stay.


	9. Times like these

_Hey, hey, hey!_

_A massive thanks to mindreadingweirdo, secretobsession7, chst, lilmaher, Clumsy-Clara, Caitlin S., edwardlover213, Cullen0-Lover-101, twilightluver39, pizza003, JennWen, Bells254, VainVamp, miscymist78 and sprinter1 for their reviews. I loved reading them guys and I love to know your opinions. Just remember, the more reviews I get, the faster I tend to write ;)_

_Oh lord, just over two weeks till New Moon comes out folks. I'm not sure what day it comes out in America, but over here in little ole' England, it comes out on the 20th__. I keep watching then re watching any trailers or scenes that have been released. I NEED to see this film guys! And even though Edward is number 1 in my books (there's no competition when it comes to him, he wins every time), have you guys seen Demetri? I'm loving him! Plus, Robert Pattinson AND Taylor Lautner both topless? Could this film get any better?! Right, I'm waffling now, so I'll stop._

_This chapter is named after 'Times like these' by the Foo Fighters, who are, without a doubt, the greatest band in existence. I love them to bits and their concert was the best one I've ever been to. I just love the Foo Fighters! What can I say?!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight… or do I?!… no, I don't._

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

As I lay in my soft warm bed on Thursday night, I let my mind wonder…

It had been a good first week at Forks High and it went as well as first weeks at High School can possibly go. I was quite surprised really; I was expecting it to be worse.

After lunch on Monday, I realized I had Biology with Edward. It went really well and we ended up winning the golden onion for finishing the Mitosis experiment first. I felt quite proud of myself really and Edward seemed pretty glad too. It was nice that the two of us could finally work together and achieve something… even if it was a gold, flaking onion! I found it quite sweet when Edward walked me to my next lesson, he was a true gentleman. In fact he had been doing that all week, walking me to the classes I had after any I had with him. I wasn't going to stop him. It was clearly something he had taken upon himself to do and I found it really lovely of him to do. He always made sure to depart by giving me a wink, causing me to blush bright red. It was clear now what it did to me and I knew that he knew too, but he carried on doing it. Maybe he liked it as much as I did.

Finally, I had Gym, which I found I had with Jasper. We played Dodge Ball and I was beyond thankful when Jasper saved me from more than one hit. I wasn't the most co-coordinated person in the world and I knew that without him, I would have been black and blue by the end of the lesson. I liked my timetable and after Tuesday, I got into the routine of it.

Mike Newton was doing my head in however. He was in quite a few of my classes and he made sure that I knew who he was with his constant staring and goofy grins. He must have noticed Jasper protecting me from flying dodge balls because on Tuesday, Mike decided he wanted to play the knight in shining armor. The only problem was that his idea totally backfired. The ball he was protecting me from hit him square in the nose and he landed flat on his back. He ended up having to be sent to the nurse's office. I did feel quite bad for him, but it was his own fault. If he hadn't been trying to play the hero that wasn't needed, he wouldn't have been hurt.

He returned to school the next day with a large bruise on his nose and a lesson well learnt. Thankfully, he decided to stay away. I was grateful for this and a little relieved too. Having Mike Newton following you around like a lost sheep wasn't a hobby I wanted to keep up. Wednesday ended up being quite a relaxing day. Yet, my relief didn't last long as Mike decided to resume his annoying stares on Thursday, ie. today. He kept his stares up all the way through History and English but I managed to lose him during Trig as he wasn't in my class. He managed to find me again at lunch.

Edward and I were in the food queue and were just about to get our lunch when Mike decided to approach me.

"Hi, Bella!" he said, that big goofy grin on his face.

I turned to face him and offered him the most convincing grin I could muster which, considering my skills, wasn't very convincing at all. "Uh, hi, Mike," I said. Edward remained with his back to him, clearly uninterested in what he had to say.

"How are you finding school so far?" he asked me, moving next to me to join behind me in the queue.

"It's been good, thanks," I replied, edging away from him slightly. He had gotten pretty close and I felt sandwiched between him and Edward.

I knew that Mike was just trying to be nice and I felt bad for him in that sense. He was just trying to welcome me, but there's a difference between being nice and just being over bearing. Sadly, Mike was the latter, and even though I tried not to let it get to me, his constant stares were a tad irritating. It wasn't that he was bad looking. He was handsome in a 'boy next door' sort of way, but I wasn't attracted to him at all. He didn't appeal to me in any shape or form and it was clear for the world to see that Mike however, liked me as something more than a friend.

"Oh, well that's good. If you need anyone to show you around, just let me know," he said giving me a wink. However, Mike's wink wasn't like Edward's cute sweet winks which made me blush. It was sort of creepy and not something I wanted to see again.

"Oh… uh… thanks," I said as nicely as I could, knowing full well that I would never take him up on his offer.

"Don't worry, Newton," Edward suddenly interjected. His back remained facing Mike as he decided what to eat for lunch. "I have that one covered. She's fine with me."

"Yeah, I know," Mike said, trying to act brave. I had a funny feeling that he was a little intimidated by Edward. "But if you want a change of face, just let me know."

Edward suddenly turned to face Mike, clearly irritated. "I said, I have it covered, Newton." I knew that Edward could sense my lack of interest in the boy before me.

I looked at Mike and put a gentle smile on my lips. "That's really sweet of you, Mike, but I have Edward and my other friends to show me round. Thanks for offering though."

"That's cool, but if you want someone to hang with outside of school, here's my number." He suddenly held out a piece of paper to me, his number written on it, a grin on his face.

I was flattered, of course I was. It was really sweet of Mike to take an interest in me that way, but I wasn't interested. He was a sweet if annoying boy, but I didn't want that kind of relationship with him. He clearly wasn't giving up anytime soon, so I knew I would have to let him down gently. I had the feeling that Mike was the type of boy who would take it to heart and totally over react, so I knew I would have to be as gentle as possible.

Yet, I didn't have time to voice my rejection as Edward did it for me. As soon as Mike handed me his number, Edward looked at him and growled, he physically growled! It shocked me a little as words would have clearly sufficed in telling Mike no, but his growl also made goose bumps appear all over my skin. Not because it frightened me but because it felt… good. I liked that he was sticking up for me and that he felt the need to reply in such a way. It really showed his passion and it showed how much his friends really meant to him. I looked over at Edward and saw that his eyebrows were furrowed downwards to show his anger and his eyes were narrow. Edward was being just like Jasper had been in Gym, my knight in shining armor.

As soon as Mike heard his growl and saw his angry face, he quickly pulled back the piece of paper with his number on it and shoved it into his pocket as quickly as he could. It was fair to say that Edward's glare had scared him. Edward, clearly happy with Mike's reaction, slowly allowed his face to soften.

"Yes… well… is that the time?" Mike was rather flustered. "I, uh… have to go... bye, Bella." He left as quickly as he came. I watched him leave, fully relieved he was gone. Edward and I turned back around to get our food.

"Thanks for helping me, Edward," I told him.

"No problem. Newton was annoying the hell out of me and I could see he was annoying you too." He reached onto the food counter and grabbed a hotdog. He got me one too and placed it on the plate on my tray. I smiled as he did so, happy that he had defended me. I was very grateful and continued to be as the day carried on.

So here I was, lying in bed on Thursday night. I turned my bedside lamp off and nuzzled down deeper into my pillow, wrapping the quilt tighter around me. I went to sleep rather quickly as I let my thoughts about the week surround me, slowly waiting for Friday and the end of the week.

Sure enough, Friday arrived and we managed to get to school in record time. I was quite surprised at how fast the Volvo could move when Edward really put his foot down. We got to school rather early since Edward had to give in some homework which he had forgotten to give in the day before. I had noticed how slow he was at doing his homework and how he always left it till last minute. I had done the English essay we had been set on Monday the very same night, but I had a peculiar feeling that Edward hadn't even looked at it. Edward left to go find the teacher and it left Alice, Jasper and I alone.

"It's early, do you guys want to go get a coffee or something from the Cafeteria?" Alice asked the two of us.

"Good idea, Ali," Jasper replied, looking down at her with loving eyes. They were so cute together.

"I'll pass. I'm going to go to my locker. There's always a crowd there, so I'm going to go now whilst the corridors are deserted," I replied with an apologetic smile.

"Ok," Alice said happily. "I'll see you at lunch, Bella. Have a good day." I nodded at her.

"See you in history," Jasper waved. I quickly waved back at the two of them and made my way to my locker. School didn't start for at least twenty minutes and so I was quite happy when I reached my locker and only found three people in the whole corridor. Allowing my rucksack to fall off my back, I carried it in my hands and finally reached my locker. I inputted the combination and the door opened. I unzipped my bag and started to put my books away.

"Bella, isn't it?" a female voice suddenly asked me. I turned to my left to see who the owner of the voice was and I came face to face with Lauren Mallory. She was leaning on the locker next to mine looking right at me. I noticed that Jessica Stanley was standing next to her.

If I was honest, I didn't have a very good opinion of Lauren and Jessica. They were very pretty girls and most of the boys of Forks High seemed to surround them. Their beauty was definitely not in the same league as Rosalie's, but the guys clearly saw something they liked. Personally, I didn't get it. They had been giving me rather nasty glares all week and had stuck their noses in the air every time they saw me. I didn't know what I had done, but they obviously had some sort of problem with me. Therefore, their sudden presence around me confused me to no end.

Yet, I was willing to give them a chance. For all I knew, they might be nice girls. Alice didn't like them as she would roll her eyes at them and snort at them every time they did something, but I was willing to give it a try. I put a friendly grin on my face and turned to look at them.

"Hi. Yes, my name is Bella. You must be Jessica and Lauren."

"Whatever," Jessica said, lifting her hand up so that she could gaze at her perfectly manicured nails. My friendly grin died into a polite smile. I could see where this was heading.

"It's really nice to meet you," I tried.

"So, how do you know Edward Cullen?" Lauren asked, totally ignoring what I had said. I gritted my teeth at her ignorance and tried my hardest to keep the smile on my face. Why did they want to know that?

"Oh, Edward is my friend," I said, realizing how nice that sentence sounded. _Edward is my friend. _It made me happy every time I heard it.

"Are you sure that he is _just a friend_," Lauren said, taking a step closer to me. I knew that she was trying to intimidate me and sadly, it was beginning to work.

"Erm… yes. He's my friend," I stuttered. She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes at me. Jessica did the same and it was clear that Lauren was definitely the one who was in charge here. I gulped a little at her threatening pose.

"That's all he better be," she said threateningly.

"It is," I said blinking quickly and nodding fast. I wasn't scared, I was nervous. There was clearly very few people in the corridor and they both made sure to keep their voices down so as not to make too much of a scene. From an outside observer, it just looked like a bunch of friends having a chat. They were very clever in how they gave their threats. I wanted them to stop, but it was two against one, what could I do? Why do things like this always happen to me?

"Good, because if I found out that he's something more, well…" She gave me a very menacing smile and raised her eyebrows suggestively. She was actually threatening me… and I was pathetic enough to let her. Where she had back up in the form of Jessica, I was totally alone. There was nothing that I could do but nod and agree and just hope that they would go away. I knew if Alice were here right now, she would be going ballistic!

"Edward Cullen is ours," Jessica said. But a cough from Lauren changed Jessica's statement. "I mean, he's Lauren's." She turned to face Lauren, slightly confused. "But I can look, right?"

Her voice was rather whiney and Lauren just rolled her eyes at her friend. Lauren was definitely the smarter of the two. Lauren looked into my locker and pulled out my copy of 'Pride and Prejudice'. It was one of my most favorite books in the whole world and I was over the moon when I discovered that we would be studying it in English. She opened the book and began flicking through the pages. I didn't like her touching my book.

"Jessica's right you know," she began, staring down at the book the whole time. "Eddy is mine." Eddy? Was that her pet name for him? I wondered how he felt about that. I knew he hated being called Eddy because Rose called it him the first time I met her and he didn't like it. I wondered if Edward knew he had this pet name. I wondered if he even cared that Lauren liked him. It was odd, but my heart dropped at the fact that he might like Lauren in return. I just put it down to the fact that Lauren was a horrible person and he deserved better. Yeah, that's why my heart dropped.

"Well, he's just my friend," I said.

"Good," she said, abruptly closing my book and looking back up at me. "Make sure it stays that way."

I nodded and she handed me back my book. I went to reach it and was about to grab it when Lauren let it go and it dropped to the floor.

"Whoops," she said with a smug grin. Jessica giggled beside her. Lauren gave me one last look before she tossed her hair over her shoulder and walked down the corridor, Jessica tagging behind. She turned a corner and was out of sight. I let out a deep sigh and bent down to pick up my book. I took a long look at it and was thankful that she hadn't damaged it in any way.

Well, I had certainly found out the reason why they hated me!

I couldn't blame Edward, it wasn't his fault that he seemed to have two really odd stalkers who were hell bent on making sure no-one could have him. Surely he couldn't like Lauren in return and there were two reasons why I thought this. Firstly, I knew Alice would never allow it. She hated the 'Olsen twins' with a passion. If she knew her older brother liked one of them, she would go mental and Edward would probably be eating through a tube now! Alice was not a force to be reckoned with.

Secondly, I just knew Edward wouldn't do that. He would never go for the popular girl who wore so much make up, it was a wonder she didn't topple over from the weight of it. He wasn't that kind of guy. Whilst the majority of the male population of Forks High would follow Lauren around, Edward tended to have the same reaction as Alice did at them, annoyance and irritation. It was clear that he was uninterested. Lauren wasn't exactly shy at making her feelings known, he had to know about her crush. If he did, something would clearly have happened by now and it was as clear as day that nothing had.

My theories still didn't stop the weird feelings of pain I got at just the thought of it. What if he did like her and was just biding his time? Why wouldn't he like her? She was pretty and she was popular. Every guy wanted her and every girl wanted to be her. Not like me, I was just plain and boring.

_Hang on, why are you bringing yourself into this?_

It was a rhetorical question which had me stumped and I just didn't know the answer.

The bell suddenly rang, bringing me out of my thoughts. I grabbed the books I needed for history and closed my locker. I ran to my lesson as quickly as I could, trying to rid my brain of all thoughts of Lauren Mallory with Edward Cullen.

The rest of my day went without event. All my lessons went well and I thankfully had no homework. I saw Jacob on the way to English and I gave him a quick wave. I was thankful when he smiled and waved back. At least his run-in with Edward earlier in the week had not put him off being my friend. I wasn't at all surprised when I earned a few glares from Lauren and Jessica at lunch, but what did I expect after our little 'chat' this morning. I was just happy when the bell rang for the end of the day and we all jumped in the Volvo to go home. I had had a busy week and all I wanted to do this weekend was rest. It wasn't until I had decided to sit down on the sofa with my feet up later that night that I realized the rest I craved was not coming too soon.

"Bella?" Edward suddenly asked me. I moved my eyes from the TV and looked up at him. "I was wondering if you would help me with my English essay."

I knew he hadn't done it! I gave myself a mental pat on the back for getting that one right! I'd already done my essay on 'Pride and Prejudice', so I was in no rush to go and start another, but the pleading look in his eyes won me over. I nodded my head and followed him up the stairs. We entered his room and he closed the door behind him.

This was the first time that I had been in Edward's room since I had come to live with the Cullen's. It was rather big, probably about the same size as mine. He had his double bed by one wall, and a large leather sofa against the opposite wall. He had a desk over by the large bedroom window, right next to the bed, but what drew my attention the most was shelf after shelf of CDs. There were tones of them, all categorized by genre and artist. It was quite amazing to look at really. I knew that Edward liked music because he often played the piano, but this sight before me clearly showed music to be his passion, just like Alice's was shopping and mine was reading.

"Thanks for helping me with this, Bella," he said, making me tare my eyes away from the many CDs. I turned to look at him and saw that he was seated at his desk.

"No problem," I said, making my way over to him and seating myself on the edge of his bed, right next to his desk. I noticed the wheelie chair he sat on._ I love wheelie chairs!_ Upon his desk was a piece of paper, the question and a copy of the book. "So, what's wrong?"

"I'm stuck on the question," he said, chewing the end of his pen. I looked down at the paper on his desk and read the question on the sheet.

_Discuss the importance of dialogue to the character development of either Mr. Darcy or Elizabeth Bennett in the novel._

"What is it that you don't get?" I asked him.

"Everything!" he said. "It's so complicated. Give me a piece of music to play and I can do that fine, stick an essay question in my hand and I'm totally stuck!"

I couldn't help but laugh at his outburst. He was probably right in many senses, but I would help him. I had found the question easy enough, I knew the book so well, so I knew that I could pass my knowledge onto him. His comment had been funny though.

"You have a really nice laugh, you know," he said to me suddenly which, ironically, stopped my laughing. Annoyingly, a profuse blush covered my face. It really liked making an appearance when Edward was around. He grinned at it.

"Thanks," I said quietly, secretly rather flattered. I never really saw my laugh as something nice, but if Edward found something good about it, then I would happily let him continue to enjoy it. "Anyway, the essay."

"Oh, yeah," he smiled, quickly looking back to the blank piece of lined paper which sat on his desk. "I was just confused because I'm concentrating on Mr. Darcy for the essay, but doesn't he hate Elizabeth? How can dialogue with her develop his character?"

I looked at him with a confused look. I had concentrated on Elizabeth in my essay and so couldn't give him the same answers I had given. But I knew this book inside out, I could quite easily help him. Yet, his question puzzled me.

"It's through the dialogue that they fell in love," I told him, stating it matter-of-factly. How could he not know that? He gave me a look that showed he was just as confused as I was. That's when it dawned on me. "You haven't read the book, have you?"

He gave me one of those guilty looks that told me he hadn't. "Uh, no." He hung his head a little.

I couldn't help but smile at him. Only Edward would attempt to write an essay on a book he had never read. He noticed my smile. "What?"

"Nothing," I giggled. He was thinking the same as me. How can you write an essay on a book you have never read? In that moment, our minds were totally in tune with one another. He began to laugh too.

I loved times like these, happy times when I was genuinely enjoying myself. After what happened to my parents, I found that I hadn't smiled much, if at all. But Edward and the Cullen's brought out the best in me and had brought a little light into my life. I had laughed and smiled more times this week than I had in all the months since my mother died and my father was kidnapped. Our laughter eventually died down and Edward gave me a crooked grin before he turned his eyes back to the question.

_Holy crow! Crooked grins, sexy bed hair and constant winks equals blushing Bella!_

"So, what happens?" he asked. "I mean he hates her, right?"

"At first he did," I explained. "She wasn't good enough for him. He didn't like her at all."

"Kind of sounds like us last weekend," he commented with a chuckle. I chuckled back, realizing how right he was.

"You're right. It really does sound just like we used to be." It was quite odd how similar it was to how Edward and I were. It's weird how life can imitate art sometimes.

"But then, through dialogue," I continued, "Darcy got to know Elizabeth and even though there were many ups and downs, they eventually fell in love. There wasn't any hatred anymore, just irrevocable, pure love." I smiled to myself at the thought of my favorite book. It really was a beautiful love story and an amazing tale of how two people, obviously meant for each other, finally came together as one. No wonder it was one of my favorites. I loved it so much.

I looked up at Edward then and suddenly the atmosphere changed as I found his eyes boring deeply into mine, his breathing steady. I could hear his heavy steady breathes filling the silence in the room. His gaze was intense and emotional, but I found I could not look away from his green orbs. They were drawing me in, hypnotizing me, enrapturing me and I couldn't get out. My breathing became heavy and quick, yet I remained in his trance, totally transfixed on him. I was trapped with absolutely no way out. I had to stay here, right where I was, wrapped in this amazing silence with him... whatever this was.

It was of the most peculiar positions I had ever found myself in. Whilst I wanted to break away from it and return to reality, scared of what might happen, I wanted to stay right where I was, hypnotized by him. However, the need to stay was far greater than the need to leave. In that moment, I couldn't see the world. All I could see was green eyes and bronze hair and nothing could tare me away from them. As I was looking at him, he was looking right at me. Nothing else mattered. I was under his spell and he was under mine.

That's when a thought occurred to me. If our story started just like Elizabeth's and Darcy's, how would it end? That was what was wrong with Edward. Once again, our thoughts were exactly in sync. Could life be mirroring art more than we realized? Could our story have the same ending? We continued to stare at each other, wrapped up in our own little bubble, neither of us wanting to leave it. Suddenly, he wheeled his chair a little closer to me, our eyes on each other the whole time and he gently placed his soft warm hand upon mine. The electricity his touch caused flowed right through my arm and it caused goose bumps all over my body. It felt amazing. I didn't know what was happening to me and Edward in this moment, but I had never felt so connected to anyone like this in my whole life. All I thought of, all I felt, all I smelt and all I saw, was him. And I knew that he was feeling the same.

That's when our perfect little bubble was burst.

"BELLA, EDWARD. DINNER'S DONE!" Emmett bellowed down the hall. Suddenly our eyes broke away from each other and the moment was gone. He lifted his hand from mine and I automatically missed the contact.

"Yeah… so…" Edward said quickly, running his hand through his hair. "I think I can, uh, do the essay now." He seemed rather flustered.

"Uh, good," I smiled, still recovering from whatever that was. "Glad I could, uh, be of help." I quickly stood up from my seat on the bed and hurried to the door, needing to breathe. "I'm going to go get some dinner!"

"Bella?" he said, stopping me just as I put my hand on the door knob.

I slowly turned around, scared that if I looked at him again, I wouldn't be able to tare my eyes away and he would hypnotize me once again. "Yes?"

His lips turned upwards and he gave me the most warmest and heartfelt grin I had ever witnessed. "Thanks."

"No problem," I said softly, smiling back. I turned the door knob and quickly left his room.

The air in the hallway was cold compared to the heat and warmth that I had just felt in Edward's room. I felt I could breathe better. The hallway seemed much bigger too, bigger than I had remembered it and I felt free. It wasn't like the bubble in which I had found myself trapped in. I slowly walked down the stairs and tried to calm myself down after what had just happened.

Alice caught me at the bottom of the stairs.

"Are you ok, Bella? You look a little flustered."

"I'm fine," I smiled. "I'm really hungry though."

"Me too. Lets eat!" With that, she linked my arm with hers and we made our way to the dining room.

I had no idea what just happened with Edward. The moment was so intense, but it felt so right. I had never experienced something like it in all my life and it was full of pure raw emotion. It was just the two of us and to me, it felt as if the rest of the world was cut off from us. It was just me and him in that moment. Time could have stopped or World War 3 could have broken out for all I knew. I didn't know what had happened between us but I did know one thing…

Whatever it was, I definitely wanted it to happen again.


	10. Crushcrushcrush

_Hello folks! Another day, another chapter._

_A massive thanks to pizza003, CaitlinS., miscymist78, mindreadingweirdo, Cullen0-Lover-101, edwardlover213, secretobsession7, Eyepatch Productions, bells254, sprinter1, chst, VainVamp, yesisalas, Tommygrl1997, Clumsy-Clara, twilightluver39 and lilmaher for your reviews. We finally hit 100 reviews guys, so well done!!_

_Also, thanks to bells254, miscymist78, mindreadingweirdo, chst, Eyepatch Productions and lilmaher for their PMs. It was really great hearing from you guys. So thank you!_

_This chapter is named after 'Crushcrushcrush' by Paramore. Awesome song, but not my favorite Paramore song. That victory has to go to 'Decode' for obvious reasons! And also because its an amazing song!_

_Enjoy guys!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight… and I cant think of anything amusing to put in my disclaimer!_

* * *

Edward Cullen's Point of View

Ok, what the hell just happened?

I'd just come back to reality and I had no idea of where I had gone. I had been somewhere strange and exciting and now I was back in my room, suddenly aware of my surroundings. All I knew was that wherever I was, all it contained was Bella. She was all I could see and all I wanted to see. Her long flowing brown hair, her deep brown orbs, her smooth soft skin and that blush.

Oh, that blush.

It could make a grown man grovel on his knees to her and he would be totally under her spell, with no hope of escape. Every time I saw it, it sent goose bumps all over my skin and set my stomach on fire. I didn't know why it was, but I just couldn't get enough of it. It was so pretty and the most amazing shade of pink. When Bella wore it, she looked so pure, so happy, so… beautiful. At any chance I could, I would produce that blush from her face. It would slowly appear and the fire in my stomach would blaze bigger and brighter than ever. Anything could set it off. A smile, a sweet comment, but my favorite was a wink. It would appear so profusely at the sight of a wink and all I would be able to do was stare and smile at it, enraptured by it, its spell taking me over.

But it didn't seem to be just any wink, it seemed to be _my _wink and the feeling of euphoria it seemed to give me was amazing. It was Thursday when Newton, the ass, gave her a wink at school. He'd been doing my head in for days, constantly hanging around Bella. But Bella, being the sweet soul she is, would smile at him sweetly and just put up with it. So I wasn't best pleased when he gave her a wink at lunch. He was going to produce that blush, my blush and I would hate him forever. Yet the blush never came, her face remained its soft pale color. Newton never received it, only me.

_Only me…_

Feelings were stirring in me, strange alien feelings and they confused me to no end. They were feelings I had never felt before, all brand new and fresh and exciting. They were sort of similar to the feelings I held for my family and friends, only stronger. Much stronger. They made my heart beat faster and my head think more. I knew I would have to think over them at a later date. I knew I had to discover what they were and why they had appeared.

When I asked her to help me with my essay, that's when it happened. I left reality and entered a strange place where all I was surround by was Bella. Her face, her smell, the sound of her quick breathing, I knew that she was in this place with me too. It was 'Pride and Prejudice' that triggered it all, a simple little book that seemed to mean more to my life than I first realized. We were Darcy and Elizabeth, it was our story. Bella told me the ending and then I was gone, waking up in this strange world where there was only her, wondering if it would be our ending too.

I couldn't tare my eyes from her. She was pure beauty, pure innocence, pure perfection. Those feelings reappeared and flooded my body, holding me hostage to something I had no intention of escaping from. I had no idea what was happening, but it wasn't a bad thing. It felt right and it felt like I belonged there, with her. I needed to feel her, to touch her, to make sure she was really there with me. I reached over and placed my hand upon hers. The electricity made it all that more real, and I knew right there and then that this wasn't a dream. We were having this moment and we were both lost in it, lost in each other.

Emmett's big loud voice brought me back to reality and the moment was gone, the feeling broken. She left for dinner and it left me alone in my room with my thoughts. It didn't feel real, yet at the same time, it felt more real than anything. She was there, I was there, just the two of us. My stomach was alight, goose bumps covered my skin and the amazing sting of the electricity still remained on my hand. For the first time in years, I felt alive and I couldn't keep the smile off my face. I knew what all of this meant. I wasn't an idiot and I knew what such feelings could mean to me.

I was crushing on Bella.

Her personality, her purity, her beauty. It was infective and I couldn't get enough of her. When Jacob was around her, I was scared of history repeating itself and he would crush on her, just like Leah. When Newton gave her his number, I could no longer contain the jealousy and I growled at him. I've never growled in my life! She was causing reactions in me that had never been there before. I didn't know how deep my feelings were for her, but I definitely knew there was something and then I wondered if it would develop into something more than a crush. Who knew! But I was willing to find out. And to think, I hated her when she arrived, I was such a fool. All I knew was that she now meant something more to me, I _liked _her and I always would. So, as I slept that night, I dreamt of electric touches, deep pools of brown and spell binding blushes.

Annoyingly, I didn't see much of Bella the next day. Alice decided to go on one of her daily excursions to the mall and poor Bella was dragged along. Jasper was also taken, despite his cries for help to me. His cries were useless, whether I decided to help him or not. Once Alice decided you were going shopping with her, that was it. You were going! Trust me, I've tried to get out of enough of her trips. You can run and you can hide, but my little sister will track you down and drag you to the mall!

So, with Bella and Jasper gone for the day and Alice along with them, I was pretty much left on my own. Thankfully Alice felt that Jasper and Bella were enough company for her and I managed to get out of going, which I was beyond thankful for. I decided to finish my essay and get it done. I got it finished pretty quickly, all the information based on the things that Bella had told me last night - how the dialogue brought them together. I grinned and hoped that it may happen to us one day. Once my essay was done, I went and got myself some lunch. I sat in front of the TV and ate rather quickly. I washed up my plate and walked back into the living room, watching the TV once again.

It was 3pm when my eyes wondered around the house from my seat on the sofa and fell on the piano. My beautiful piano. I switched the TV off and walked over to it, sitting on the bench. I lifted my fingers to the keys and gently began to play, reading the sheet music in front of me. My eyes looked over the piano and I smiled, realizing how clean it still looked from when Bella cleaned it last week. She had done such an amazing job.

The song changed.

It was the lullaby again, that strange lullaby that had appeared out of nowhere and which I couldn't get out of my head. I closed my eyes and let my fingers flow freely over the keys, the soft melody filling the room, surrounding me in a warm energy. I didn't need to read any sheet music for this song. I played it from the heart, it was forever committed to memory. It was beautiful and new and wonderful and filled me with emotion. I had found it when I wasn't even looking.

I opened my eyes in realization, yet I continued to play. I had found it when I wasn't even looking… just like Bella. Both were so similar. Both had beauty and were new to me and I couldn't get enough of either. That's when it all occurred to me, how both had appeared at the same time and how I only seemed to play the song when I thought of Bella.

It was Bella's lullaby.

It belonged to her and it represented her. I played it for her as a way to show my feelings without actually telling her. I didn't know why I hadn't thought of it sooner. Whenever Bella appeared in my mind, the lullaby would appear too. This sudden realization only spurred me on more. I closed my eyes once again and played it with more emotion than I ever had before. The notes swirled around me as I thought of Bella. Her cute laugh, her kind heart, her infective personality, her radiant blush. I was lost in the moment, lost in my own little world.

So lost in fact that I didn't here the front door open and close and footsteps approach me.

"What is that? It's beautiful."

The voice was gentle and feminine. It sounded so genuine and I knew who it was straight away. I stopped playing and turned around to see Bella standing behind me, a sweet smile gracing her lips. She was trying to look over my shoulder at the piano keys.

"Oh, it's just a song I wrote," I replied, noticing the new scarf she was wearing, no doubt thrust upon her by Alice.

"You wrote that? It's beautiful, Edward," she smiled.

I smiled back. "Why, thank you, Bella." _I wrote it for you because I'm crushing on you. _

"It really is," she said. "I better go take my coat off anyway. Will you play it again some time? I'd like to hear it all the way through."

"Sure," I said, knowing that I definitely would. It was her song after all. It was inspired by her and without Bella, it wouldn't even exist. She thanked me before going up stairs to her room, leaving me alone once again. Yes, I would play it for her, whenever she wanted me to, day or night. How can I deny her her own song? I closed my eyes once again and played the lullaby, hoping she could hear it from her room.

We had Chinese for dinner that night, which I was pretty pleased about. I love Chinese food and so was very happy when my dad walked through the front door with it. We all ate pretty quickly before gathering in the living room to watch a film. Rose and Jasper had come over too, so it was a bit of a tight squeeze, but we all managed to fit. Alice and Jasper shared the love seat, mom, dad, Emmett and Rosalie all managed to fit on the sofa and Bella and I sat on the floor on cushions. I was dreading tonight. It had been Alice's turn to pick the movie, so in true Alice style, we got stuck with a chick-flick. We ended up watching 'The Notebook', which was a pretty good film to be honest. A bit too girly for my liking, but good all the same. Alice began crying halfway through, even though she'd seen the film 10 times! Bella was watching intently, I assumed she'd never seen it before, but I did notice her eyes glistening with tears at it. A huge part of me wanted to reach over to her and wipe them away, but I thought I'd best not, not in front of everyone anyway. I hoped I would be able to though someday soon.

After the film, we all said our goodnights and went to bed. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, my dreams full of Bella and lullabies.

I was quite shocked when I awoke the next morning. I glanced over at my clock and saw that it was 9am. I had never gotten up that late before! Perhaps I was enjoying my dreams too much to wake up. In my dreams, Bella and I could be whatever we wanted to be and we could be together. A huge part of me just wanted to tell Bella about my crush, but then I thought no. It took enough effort for us to become friends. I didn't want to rush her. And what if she said no? I didn't think I could take such a rejection. I would be her friend, at least for now, until I could figure out her feelings for me. If she just wanted to be friends, then so be it. If she wanted something more, then I would be that something. For now, I would just get what I could and just be happy in her sweet company.

I got out of bed, stretching along the way to wake myself up, quickly got dressed and left my room, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I spotted my hair in my mirror on the way out however. It was a mess, but that's the way it always looked. There was nothing I could do about it, my hair had a mind of its own. I ran my fingers through it to try to do something with it, but it was all to no avail. I don't know why I even bother. I left my room and headed downstairs. Everybody's bedroom doors were closed as I walked past them and I could hear Emmett's snoring through the walls. How Rosalie puts up with it, I'll never know!

I heard cupboards opening and closing when I reached the bottom of the stairs. The noise was coming from the kitchen, so I went and investigated. When I entered the kitchen, the first thing I spotted was the bowls and kitchen utensils that covered the kitchen counters. There were also ingredients for something everywhere too and an open cookbook. Bella suddenly stood up from kneeling on the floor, a bag of flour in her hand.

"Found you!" she told the flour. She turned around and froze when she spotted me standing there. She blushed, _so beautiful, _but quickly composed herself. "Good morning, Edward!" She walked over to where everything was set out on the island counter and put the flour down.

"Morning, Bella. Uh, what are you doing?"

"Making cookies!" she smiled, pulling the measuring scales towards her. She opened a bag of sugar and began to measure it.

"Awesome! I love cookies," I told her, moving a little closer. She giggled at my enthusiasm and this time, I was the one blushing. I looked down at her and realized that I didn't want to leave. Ever since I had realized about my crush, I had hardly seen Bella. So I decided to stay with her. I just wanted to be in her company. "Uh, can I help?"

Bella looked at me, when suddenly a huge grin appeared on her face and joy stirred in her eyes. "Sure! Of course you can." She had finished measuring the sugar and placed it into a glass bowl.

"Great, what can I do?" I quickly washed my hands and went to stand next to Bella.

"Right, you can measure out the flour whilst I beat the eggs." She handed me the flour and I looked over at the cookbook so I knew how much to measure. Bella cracked the eggs and began to beat them in a bowl with the sugar.

"So, how come you decided to make cookies at this time of the morning?" I asked as I poured the flour onto the scales. As soon as it hit them, bits flew into the air and onto my face. I had a feeling that this was going to get messy.

"I thought it would be nice and I wanted them ready before everyone woke up. You guys have done so much for me, so I decided to make them as a thank you. Me and my mom used to make them all the time." Her face suddenly dropped and I swore I saw sadness across it, but it was gone in the blink of an eye and her cheery face reappeared. It must have been the mention of her mother, she probably missed her. She would go back to her soon though, back to Phoenix and she would see her again. My heart dropped suddenly at the thought of Bella leaving us to go back home. I didn't even want to think about it. Not seeing her everyday or having her company, it would kill me. I put it quickly to the back of my mind and focused on the present day. This is what mattered, here and now.

"Thanks, Bella. That's really nice of you," I told her. "I have no idea what I'm doing, so I hope you're a good teacher."

"I'll try my best!" she said, still beating the eggs. She placed the bowl onto the counter when she was finished and looked up at me. "Erm… Edward, you're covered in flour."

"I am?" I asked.

"It's all over your face," I could see laughter building up on her face. I didn't realize I had been that messy with it. I looked down onto the counter and noticed that that was covered too. I wiped my hand over my face and when I looked at it, it was covered as well.

Suddenly, Bella burst into fits of laughter. "How did you manage that?" she asked me between laughs.

"I have no idea," I said, suddenly starting to chuckle at myself. Bella just couldn't stop her laughter. It was like music to my ears, so very happy. "Are you laughing at me?" I joked with her. She shook her head, still laughing. Suddenly, I raised my hand, which was covered in flour and brushed it across Bella's face, covering her too. She looked at me in shock, then burst out laughing again.

"I can't believe you did that!" she giggled.

"What's the fun in baking cookies if you don't get messy?" I said.

"I agree," she said. Our laughter died down eventually and we carried on mixing the ingredients, as messy as we were. With everything mixed, we began making cookie shapes out of the dough. Most of them were round, but Bella and I made our own cookie in a weird shape. Bella made a star and I had no idea of how she made that shape herself without a shape cutter. Since she made a star, I decided to make a moon. With the cookies finally done, we put them into the oven to cook.

"Now what?" I asked.

"Now we wash up," Bella replied.

We made our way over to the sink and Bella filled it with warm soapy water. Since I was rubbish at washing up, Bella put me in charge of drying up.

"So, how long have you been playing piano for?" she suddenly asked me, handing me the clean cutlery to dry.

"Since I was about 4," I replied, happy to answer any questions she had for me. She wanted to get to know me, and I would give her any information she needed.

"Wow. Your piano's pretty special to you, huh?"

"Yeah, it is," I said, wondering where this was going. I was ready to share anything with Bella. I would allow her to know anything she wanted, I was under her spell after all. But was I ready to let her know about_ that_? Was I ready to let her know about _her_? I hadn't spoken about it since it happened, not to anyone. I knew if I were to talk to anyone about it, I would talk to Bella, but I didn't think I was ready just yet. It was a bad memory to bring up. My face suddenly grew somber.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked me, noticing the look in my eyes. I just shook my head. I didn't want to talk about it, not yet anyway.

"Do you want to talk about your mom?" I asked gently. I must have caught her off guard as she stopped washing up and suddenly looked at me wide eyed. I had no idea what emotion was flowing throughout those mesmerizing brown orbs at that moment, but I did know that the emotion wasn't a happy one.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Earlier, when you mentioned your mom, you looked a little sad."

"Oh," she replied, going back to washing up. "No, I don't want to talk about it."

I nodded my head. "Well if you want to talk to anyone, I'm here for you, Bella."

She nodded with a gentle smile. "Thank you, Edward. How about we make a deal. I'll tell you about it when you tell me about whatever is wrong with you."

"Deal," I nodded. I would tell her someday, but not today. Realizing that the mood was becoming depressive, I decided to change the subject and cheer up the sad atmosphere. However Bella beat me to it. She suddenly turned to me, bubbles on her hands and she blew them at me, covering my face in them. I looked at her with shock on my face, a laugh trying to get through. She began to giggle.

"What was that for?" I laughed.

"To clean off the flour," she replied proudly.

"Yeah? Well two can play at that game," I reached over, grabbed some bubbles and blew them back at her, covering her hair. She produced a shocked look, very much the same as mine. Our laughter was beginning to fill the room and the two sounds sounded so wonderful together. A beautiful duet. All I wanted to do was make her laugh and smile and to just make her happy. Her happiness was all that mattered. I had never been like this with anyone in my life and she had no idea what she was doing to me and I was loving every minute of it. Life was good.

She grabbed another handful of bubbles and wiped them across my face. I moved the wet bowl that was holding in my hand and placed it on the counter. A bit of water fell out of it, but I would clean it up later. I got more bubbles and blew them into her face. I hadn't had this much fun in so long. It was nice to be impulsive and free for once.

Bella walked backwards so as to avoid the bubbles in my hand. But Bella being Bella, stepped right into the spilt water and began to fall backwards.

"Bella!" I shouted, reaching out to grab her. I grabbed her around her waist and held her to me, only for me to step into the water and fall over too! We ended up in a pile on the floor, lying side by side and Bella was just silent, her hair covering her face.

"Bella, are you ok?" I asked, leaning over her, moving her hair out of her face. Her silence was worrying me. What if she'd been hurt? It would be all my fault. I'd hurt her mentally in the past, I didn't need to hurt her physically too. My worries were soon put to rest because as I moved her hair out of her face, I saw her happy face and she burst into laughter again. I grinned then and joined in the laughter.

"I can't believe we did that," Bella said between laughs.

She looked up at me then and our laughter slowly died down, the two of us suddenly realizing how close our faces were, only mere inches apart. Our laughs completely stopped as Bella's eyes wondered over my face. My eyes remained on hers. I could just stare at her all day, getting lost in her eyes, trying to make that blush appear. Slowly but surely, it did and I couldn't have been happier. It was _my_ blush and I would never tire of it, just as I would never tire of her. Never. She was Bella and she was just perfect as she was.

Slowly she raised her hand and began to gently run it through my hair. My bronze hair was wet from the bubbles and still had bits of flour in it, but the feel of her fingers gently stroking it was amazing. This is how I wanted it to be. Just Bella and I, having fun and being together. That's how it should be. All I had to do was lean down a little further and I could show her what she was doing to me. Just one simple kiss and she would know all about my crush. Her lips were so close. But I just let her carry on. I was under her spell and would succumb to whatever she'd do. If she wanted to feel my hair then she could. I would let her do anything. I never knew I could feel like this.

Once she was finished with my hair, she slowly brought her hand down to my cheek and cupped it, stroking it with her thumb. Instinctively, I closed my eyes and leaned into her touch. It was so warm and smooth and an electric current was all over my body. My breathing became labored as I remembered her touch and committed it to memory. I didn't know when it would happen again. How I longed to touch her back, to let her feel my caress. I still had my arm around her waist from trying to catch her, so I held her tighter and pulled her closer to me, reveling in her touch, her scent, her warmth. This moment was perfect.

But she was caressing me, she was touching me. I hadn't told her to, she was doing it because she wanted to. No one had forced her, she had took it upon herself to be this way with me. My mind began to think. What if she felt the same? What if she liked me too? What if she wanted to be more than friends? Just the idea had my heart leaping and my stomach burning. What if everything I wanted could actually happen?

Bella suddenly moved her other arm, so that it wrapped around my back and she pulled herself closer to me, wanting to be near me, holding me to her. Our bodies were touching each other now, pressing together. It felt wonderful. How I wanted to feel her skin and hold her beautiful face in my hands, yet my other arm was holding my weight so that I could hover over her.

"Edward," she whispered, her breathing heavy and my eyes slowly opened, meeting hers. They were so deep and infective and her lips were slightly parted. I was immediately lost in eyes. Suddenly her eyes looked down to my lips, then back to my green eyes. She wanted this too, I knew she did. She had to.

"Bella," I whispered back, emotion filling my words. All I had to do was lean down a little.

But as it always does with me, the moment was ruined once again.

"What are you two doing?" Alice's voice suddenly asked. I lifted my head up and turned it to look at my sister in her pink dressing gown. Her eyebrows were raised and she looked shocked. I could fully understand her reaction. Bella and I didn't look well considering we were both lying on the floor, our arms wrapped around each other. I dreaded to think of what would be running through Alice's head. I quickly got up and held my hand out to help Bella up.

"Bella fell over. I was just helping her up," I explained, Bella nodding at my side.

"Yeah, that's definitely what it looked like," Alice said sarcastically, moving over to the kettle. She set it to boil and began preparing coffee. She froze and began sniffing the air. "Can I smell cookies?" she asked, beginning to grin.

"Yeah," Bella replied, suddenly moving over Alice. "I was cooking them." She put the oven glove on and pulled them out of the oven. They were golden brown and smelt delicious.

"Wow, Bella! They look awesome," Alice said enthusiastically. I was glad really. The cookies seemed to have gotten Bella and I off of her mind. _Annoying little pixie!_

_Bella and I, damn that sounds good._

Now was not the time to think about that. I had to keep Alice's mind off of whatever she thought she saw. I moved over to them as Bella took the cookies off of the baking tray and put them onto a plate to cool. There were 12 in total, plus the special ones Bella and I made. They really did smell good. Alice went over to grab one.

"You have to let them cool a little first, or else you will burn your mouth," Bella told her, which caused Alice to stop in her tracks.

"But I want one now," my sister pouted.

"Not yet, Alice," I told her.

"How about I go get dressed and wake up Jasper. Will they be cool by then?" she asked with hopefulness.

"Sure," Bella laughed. "They will be cool by then."

Alice literally ran out of the kitchen and bolted up the stairs. I had never seen her move so fast in her whole life. Bella just stood there, looking at the cookies proudly.

"I think those are some of the best cookies I've ever made," she smiled. "Sorry, _we've _ever made!"

"They do look good, Bella," I replied with a chuckle.

We were silent for a while then and all my mind was full of what had just happened between us. She felt so warm and fragile in my arms, but she felt like she belonged there too. It all felt right, like it was meant to happen. And when she ran her hands through my hair and held my face, I was in pure heaven. Her hands were so warm and soft and the electric sensation I felt just made it all that better. Her blush just topped the whole thing off. Her amazing pink blush which never failed to make me happy. I was in a moment of pure perfection with her.

"I'm sorry about earlier," she suddenly said, looking at me with an embarrassed blush. _I swear she will be the death of me. _"I'm a real klutz. Only I could go and slip on a little puddle of water."

"No, it's fine," I said, beginning to run my hand through my hair.

"And thanks for catching me," she smiled.

"No problem," I replied, lost in her gaze. I didn't even notice Alice and Jasper enter the kitchen until I saw Alice running past me to get a cookie. She ate it up quickly.

"Bella, this is delicious!"

"Why, thank you," Bella replied. "Edward helped." Alice and Jasper were to busy eating and enjoying the cookies to reply.

"Well, I better go get cleaned up," Bella said, heading past me and out of the kitchen. We were both still covered in flour and were pretty wet too. Bella still even had bubbles in her hair. She spoke to me quietly as she walked past me.

"Thanks for saving me, Edward. That was really sweet of you."

"Like I said, no problem."

Suddenly, she stood on her tiptoes and gave me a gentle kiss on the cheek before giving me a heart warming smile and going upstairs to clean off.

I stood there, frozen to the spot. Butterflies were in my stomach, my breathing became heavy and the spot were her lips had been tingled like never before. She had actually just kissed my cheek, it wasn't a dream. It was one of those 'pinch me' moments. She just continued to surprise me everyday and I really couldn't get enough of her.

"You ok, Edward?" Jasper asked, his mouth full of cookies.

I smiled to myself. "Yeah, I'm absolutely perfect."

She was infective, she was addictive, she was like something I had never experienced before. Like my own personal drug. I was addicted to Bella.


	11. Cold day in the sun

_Hi everyone!_

_Thanks to chst, Clumsy-Clara, pizza003, Caitlin S., sprinter1, edwardlover213, mindreadingweirdo, miscymist, secretobsession7, Gottverdammit, VainVamp, bells254, twilightluver39, Tommygrl1997, lilmaher and Eyepatch Productions for their wonderful reviews. I love you guys. You keep the smile on my face._

_I've started reading New Moon again ready for when the movie comes out and I have to say, its even better 45__th__ time around! LOL. I can't wait for the film. I've even got my mom watching it! She's never seen Twilight before, but she's asked to watch it Monday to 'see what all the fuss is about'. She'll love it. How can you not?_

_This chapter is named after 'Cold day in the sun' by the Foo Fighters, the greatest band of all time lol._

_Enjoy…_

_Disclaimer~: I do not own Twilight… except for the book and on DVD!_

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

December had finally arrived in full force and the little town of Forks was colder and wetter than ever. The big coat was on everyday, the umbrella had been used numerous times and I had even donned a woolly hat on a few occasions. Winter had finally set in.

Everyone gathered in the living room on a rainy Friday night - everyone apart from Emmett and Jasper who had been spending over two hours trying to attach snow chains to the tires on Emmett's jeep so that they could get some grip and still had three tires to do - and we settled down to watch a movie. It was something we had been doing for a few weeks now, spending our weekend nights watching movies and it was an activity that I really enjoyed.

Since Carlisle was usually at the hospital and Emmett was usually doing some kind off work for college, Friday and Saturday nights were the only real time when I got to see all the Cullens. So I enjoyed the gatherings. We would all be together and the house would be full of a really good atmoshere. The Cullen's were a very close family and it really showed. Esme chose tonight's film and I almost choked on my hot chocolate when she told us her choice - Pride and Prejudice. I quickly composed myself and settled onto the sofa with Alice and Edward either side of me, ready to watch the film.

It had been two weeks since mine and Edward's little encounter whilst baking cookies and I had to admit, it was one of most amazing encounters of my life, like something straight from a film_. Super hot guy catches plain Jane from falling and both end up in a compromising position!_ I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. Only I could go and slip in the tiniest puddle of water and almost fall flat on my face! He caught me and I ended up bringing him down too. I automatically felt bad for pulling him down with my clumsy ways, but one look at his face as he hovered over me washed all that guilt away.

I couldn't resist myself. He was so close and I had been dying to do it for days, so I lifted my hand up and ran it through his hair gently. If I thought it looked good, then it felt amazing. So soft and warm, I could have played with it for hours. Touching and feeling it was so much better than just looking at it. _I finally touched the sexy bed hair! _My sub-conscious was in her element.

I didn't have time to assess his reaction to playing with his hair because my hand instinctively moved to his face and held it. It fitted perfectly into my palm, like the last two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. It was so smooth and warm under my hand. He closed his eyes and leaned into my touch, which only spurred me on more and so I began to rub my thumb across his skin, getting a real feel for his perfect face. His closed eyes, which gave me the perfect opportunity to let my own eyes roam his face. His perfect jaw line, his glorious cheekbones, his beautiful nose. He was like a Greek god or something. I was totally lost to him in that moment.

He then pulled me closer to him, holding me tightly at my waist. Yet to me, he wasn't holding me close enough. It was odd, but I wanted him as near to me as humanly possible. I wanted to feel the heat that pulsated off of his body and feel it upon my own, so I wrapped my arm around his back and drew him closer to me, reveling in the feeling of having him like this. That was the second time that weekend that Edward and I had found ourselves like this, surely it had to mean something. This wasn't just an everyday occurrence between two friends. What did it mean?

"Edward," I whispered, his eyelids slowly opening, revealing those amazing green orbs which were so easy to fall into. I looked down at his lips then and I wanted to, I wanted to do it more than anything. I had no idea what came over me, but I wanted to kiss him… badly. To just feel his lips upon mine if only for a brief moment, to have Edward Cullen's kiss and savor it for all time. And from the way he spoke my name, the look in his eyes, and the way he held me, he wanted it too.

Too bad Alice had to go ruin it.

I swear she does it on purpose! She wonders in at the most irritating of times and goes and ruins everything. I know that she didn't mean to wonder into the kitchen and she had no idea what was going on between Edward and I in that moment, but I wanted to kick that damn pixie from here to Timbuktu! If she hadn't have come in, who knows what would have happened. But was I just lost in the moment, or did I seriously want to kiss him?

_Hell yes!_

My sub-conscious was right. It wasn't just a thing that I would get over later or regret at a later date. It was something I seriously wanted to happen, whatever the consequences. I wanted to kiss him, not just because it would be nice and because we were in a moment of lust, I wanted to kiss him because he'd been on my mind all week, because throughout all the nightmares I kept having of my mother's death, Edward would pull up in his Volvo and save me and protect me as I ran away from her killer, because he stirred odd feelings within me which made my body and mind tingle like never before. I had no idea if that was how he felt or whether he was just in the moment, but I wanted that kiss because my heart wanted it.

That's what I loved about being around Edward. When I was with him, I wasn't Isabella Swanson, scared hiding witness. I was Bella Swan, happy teenage girl. I didn't have to keep pretending and keep up a persona, like at school. I could just be me and he would accept that.

After that, Edward and I spent a lot of time together, both in school and out. He had been teaching me how to play the piano. I could only play simple tunes, like 'Three Blind Mice' and 'Jingle Bells', but I felt quite proud of myself, especially when I played the whole song without any mistakes. I had never been able to play a musical instrument in my life. I tried learning the clarinet when I was 8, but gave up after 3 weeks because I just couldn't do it. Of course, my piano skills were put to shame the second Edward's fingers touched the keys. Glorious music filled the room and it made me come alive. He played so effortlessly, it just came to him naturally. He was amazing and could even play with his eyes closed.

"Play me that song you were playing before, the soft gentle one," I asked him. I had walked in on him playing it when I arrived back home from the mall. It was the single most beautiful piece of music I had ever heard and he had written it himself.

"It's not ready yet," he told me. "But when it is, you will be the first person I'll play it to."

That made me blush! It was annoying how much I seemed to blush around Edward, but he didn't seem to mind it. Personally I hated it! It gave my emotions away so easily. Like my mom always said "Bella, you're my little open book". Ugh!

He even came to the mall a few times with Alice and I. I was grateful for the company, Alice could be so intense when she was shopping and would insist that we go in practically every shop. Edward would always lead Alice into the really large clothes stores and I would look at him in horror at the fact that he was encouraging her. But he knew what he was doing, it was all part of his plan. Alice would be distracted by the clothes and we would wonder out of the store and go to the shops that we wanted to go to. Usually, it was the book store. The book store in Seattle was so much bigger than the one in Phoenix and I absolutely loved it. If I could have, I would have spent hours in there, looking and reading. I did just that on a few occasions. I'd just grab a book from the shelf, usually one of the classics, and just read it. I began noticing Edward's literary choices too. He seemed to like things like 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Terry Pratchett' books. But there's only so long we could be gone without Alice noticing. After looking around on our own for as long as we could, we would return to Alice and she would be none the wiser!

It was a good way to spend time with both Edward and Alice and not have to walk around countless clothes shops. I don't mind looking at a few, but every shop in the whole mall was way too much!

So, when Esme picked 'Pride and Prejudice' for our movie that night, so many thoughts of Edward flew through my head. His looks, his personality, his heart melting wink. He must have noticed the irony in Esme's choice of film too because he looked over at me as soon as it started and gave me a crooked smile and a wink. And yes, the blush decided to show it's face. It was a good job the room was dark and the only light was coming from the TV screen.

I watched the film with curiosity. It was the Keira Knightly version and I had seen it before, but its relation to Edward and I confused me. Edward was Darcy. He was tall, rich and very handsome. He fit the Mr. Darcy bill perfectly, but I was no Elizabeth. She was pretty, she was feisty and she wasn't afraid to speak her mind. I had none of those qualities. Was I really the Elizabeth to his Darcy? I was probably just being silly thinking about all of this. We weren't Darcy and Elizabeth, we were Edward and Bella, great friends. That's all that mattered.

"You ok, Bella?" Edward whispered to me. He must have noticed that I was deep in thought.

I looked at him and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

He gently squeeze my shoulder before going back to the film. We watched in silence after that before finally going up to bed after a long night.

I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow…

"_Bella, run," my mother whispered in my ear, but I refused to move. How could I leave my family? We were being threatened and we had to stick together. I shook my head. No._

_I grabbed my mother's hand and prayed silently in my head that we would be ok. We had to be. We were a happy family. Nothing should tare us apart._

_That's when the guy with the blonde hair pulled my mother away from me._

_She looked so frightened and she began to shake and there was nothing me or my dad could do. _

"_Do it, James," the dark skinned man said to his friend. James had a sinister grin on his lips. My eyes widened. Next thing I knew, he pulled out a gun, held it to her beautiful head and pulled the trigger._

I woke up with a gasp, breathing heavily, my hand clutching my chest. My hair was stuck to my forehead from the sweat and I was immediately scared. Even though I had been having the nightmare for a few weeks now, it still didn't get any easier to watch. If anything it got worse. Having to watch and relive your mother's death every night is enough to send someone insane. Normally, at times like this, I would run to my mother. She would have held me in her arms and rubbed my back and told that it was all ok. Not a lot of chance of that happening to me, is there? I don't have a mother anymore.

I glanced over at my clock and saw that it was 7am. I had only had two hours sleep due to the nightmares and was tired beyond belief. Yet, the idea of further nightmares deterred me from further attempts of sleep. I figured I might as well get up, so I got out of bed and had a quick cold shower to rid myself of the sweat and horror of my nightmare. I went into my room and looked out of the window. For a change, it was quite sunny in Forks, despite the winter season and there seemed to be no breeze blowing through the trees. On seeing the conditions outside, I put on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. My hair was part way dry, so I carried on downstairs without drying it.

I turned the fire on when I reached the living room and sat by it for a while, the heat from it finally drying my hair. Edward didn't seem to be downstairs, so I figured he was in his room asleep or something. I sat up from my cozy spot by the fire and headed for the kitchen, desperate for a warm cup of tea to wake me up. I wasn't a big fan of coffee but I needed caffeine to wake me up. I knew a cup to tea would be perfect. I knew a piece of toast would be good too, since my stomach had begun talking to me.

I entered the large kitchen and set the kettle to boil. I then wondered around the kitchen gathering what I needed to make tea and toast, yawning along the way. Yet, to my dismay, there was no bread in the cupboard and no milk in the fridge. My heart dropped a little since I had really been looking forward to my breakfast. I stood in the middle of the kitchen realizing that the kettle was boiling for no reason. Well, I didn't want it to boil for no reason! Quickly, I ran up the stairs and into my room. I put on my sneakers, grabbed my wallet and sweatshirt on the way and ran downstairs. If we had no bread or milk, then I would just go out and get some. Emmett had told me where the local mini mart was, so I would go fetch the items. If we had run out, they would have to be brought at some point anyway.

I pulled on my sweatshirt quickly as I ran down the stairs, opened the front door and then closed it behind me.

The cold hit me like a slap in the face. I guess the lack of breeze and the sunny sky was just a façade for the unbelievably cold temperature that filled Forks. I turned around and looked for the spare key that Carlisle had hidden so I could get back into the house and put on my coat. I could not find it. I searched frantically under the doormat until I realized where it was. Emmett had lost it, the third one he had lost this month and Carlisle was replacing it this weekend.

_Thanks, Emmett! _

Now what!? It was freezing, I was tired and all I had was a sweatshirt. I knew that everyone was asleep and it would be rude to wake them up on a weekend morning. I figured I would just go to the store as quickly as possible and get back before it got any colder.

_Just go get your coat, Bella._

I ignored my sub-conscious and carried on walking as quickly as I could, wrapping my arms around me for warmth. I should have known it would be like this, it was December after all. It was bound to be freezing, especially in this town! I quickened my pace, ignoring my runny nose and dithering body and just got to the store as quickly as I possibly could. The quicker I got there, the quicker I could get by the warm fire.

My face was red with the cold when I reached the store. I walked in as quickly as I could, enjoying the temporary warmth. I went straight to the bread before fetching the milk. I paid the woman at the desk before walking out with my carrier bag of items. Even in just a few minutes, it seemed as if it had gotten colder and that warm cup of tea was beginning to sound really appealing. Tired, cold, feeling a little ill from it all, it couldn't get any worse, right?

It could!

No sooner had I thought that sentence did the heavens open up and rain began to fall, heavily too.

"Are you kidding me?" I shouted out to no-one in particular.

The sudden rain just made the air all that colder and I was dithering like someone crazy. My bones were too cold to move, so my pace was considerably slowed down. And since I was carrying groceries, I was unable to wrap my arms around myself in an attempt to keep warm.

_Told you so!_

My sub-conscious was staring at me with her arms folded, giving me a you-didn't-listen-to-me look. I hated her when she was right and at this moment in time, she was very right! She just shook her head at me. I didn't want to look at her right now, so I continued walking, ignoring her, trying to get home. My hair was soaked through, my shower this morning a total waste of time, my jumper clung to my arms and the wet jeans made it uncomfortable to walk. Not to mention the fact I kept sneezing and sniffing my runny nose!

Why me?!!

After what seemed like forever, the driveway to the house was thankfully in sight. I climbed up it, totally out of breath before reaching the front door and ringing the doorbell. I glanced at my watch and saw that it was 7.45am. Surely Edward was up by now.

He answered the door with confusion, his eyes suddenly widening when he took in my profile.

"Bella, look at you. Where have you been?"

"Shopping," I smiled, right before sneezing.

"Your soaked through, come on, lets get you in," he replied with concern, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and leading me into the house. I gave my nose a quick sniff. He took the bag from my hands and just put it onto the floor. I slipped my shoes off and he led me to the fire place, which was burning big and bright. Its warmth was very inviting.

"What were you thinking, Bella?" he asked, sitting on the floor next to me. He had a towel in his hand. He gave it to me and I began rubbing it through my hair, trying to get it dry.

"I'm sorry. We just really needed bread and milk for a cup of tea," I replied, making up silly excuses.

"You should have taken a coat, or asked me to drive you there," he replied, handing me some tissue. I took it and blew my nose.

"Yeah… uh…" My sub-conscious was giving me that look again. I was getting a bit irritated with her if I was honest. So she was right and I should have rang the doorbell and fetched my coat. So what! I felt bad enough, she didn't have to rub my nose in it. I suddenly let out a huge sneeze.

"You should go change. I'll have that cup of tea waiting for you when you get downstairs," Edward said with his crooked smile.

I nodded before running upstairs and changing into something dry, a pair of sweats and a large sleeved t-shirt. Much cozier! When I reached the bottom of the stairs Edward was waiting for me with a cup of tea and some Tylenol. I took them with a thank you before we entered the living room again and sat by the fire. My hair was beginning to dry now and I was mentally pleased when Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulder, rubbing it and keeping me warm. Believe me, I blushed! The hea from the fire, the heat from his body and his arm also keeping me warm was a very inviting mix. We watched TV for a while as I sipped on my drink and Edward spoke.

"Ask me to take you next time, ok? I don't want you going out on your own like that."

"Ok, sorry. I didn't think you would be awake."

"That doesn't I'm awake or not, ring the doorbell anyway. I'll answer it, I promise."

"Alright," I nodded.

He smiled at me and we continued to watch the TV. The caffeine in the tea was helping a little and the Tylenol made me feel a little better, but I still felt fatigued and my cold was getting worse. Not to mention the headache that had formed due to the lack of sleep. I had a feeling that an afternoon nap would be needed. I let out another sneeze.

"Are you alright, Bella?" Alice asked me. I hadn't even seen her walk into the room. "Your nose is really red."

"Bella has a bit of a cold," Edward replied for me when she reached us. She asked no further questions and instead gave me a hug.

"Oh, poor Bella!" she said, pulling away. "Is there anything you need?"

"No, I'm fine," I replied with a smile. She gave me a nod before going upstairs, no doubt to get herself dressed for the day.

"You sure you're ok?" Edward asked me.

"Uh-huh," I lied. My head was pounding, my nose was running and I was tired beyond belief. I knew a good nap would help me get rid of everything. "I'm going to get some socks on."

"I can get them," he said moving to stand up.

"No," I stopped him. "I'm going to get them, then have a nap." He seemed happy with my response and so let me go. I immediately missed his arm around my shoulder, but I knew at that minute, sleep was more important. I could see Edward later, right now, rest was what mattered.

I began to ascend the stairs at a somewhat slow pace, taking each step one at a time. My head began to lull at the lack of sleep I had had the previous night and my warm bed was beginning to sound very inviting. About half way up, I tripped.

_Whoa!_

My head suddenly started spinning and it began pounding harder than ever. I head my held in my hand and tried to make it to the top of the stairs. Just as I reached the top, I sneezed again. I hated my sub-conscious right now! As I turned right to head down the hallway, I must have moved too fast because I suddenly went very dizzy at the sudden movement. I leaned against the wall for support and groaned at the pain in my head. I closed my eyes.

I was ill beyond belief and felt like such an idiot. Why me? My sub-conscious just shook her head at me. _Yes, you were right! I admit it. You win. Can you leave me alone now?!_

"OH MY GOODNESS, BELLA," Alice suddenly said. I opened my eyes and saw her standing in the doorway to her room. "Are you ok, you look awful."

I shook my head gently. No, I wasn't ok. The cold weather had affected me, I had a distinct lack of sleep due to my nightmares and now I could feel my empty stomach growling in hunger. All of that put together didn't make me well at all. She suddenly lifted her palm to my forehead.

"What's going on?" Edward suddenly asked from my side. "I heard you shouting."

I closed my eyes again. The shouting really hadn't helped my headache. I just wanted to sleep so much.

"She's burning up, Edward," Alice said in a worried voice, removing her hand from my head.

"Bella?" Edward asked me, gently. "Do you think you can walk to your room?"

I shook my head. I couldn't move and I didn't want to. If I could, I would have slept standing up, right where I was. I just wanted to rest. Suddenly, I felt Edward's arms around my back and under my legs and suddenly he was carrying me bridal style.

_Holy crow!_

I wasn't so ill that I couldn't appreciate his arms around me like this because it felt damn good! In fact, it felt better than damn good, it felt positively amazing! I had absolutely no energy, so I just rested my head against his chest and willed sleep to come. The sound of his heartbeat was very soothing.

"Alice, go get dad and I'll go put Bella in her room," I heard him say urgently. I heard Alice's footsteps leave and felt Edward and I move before I finally got my wish and I fell fast asleep in his arms.

When I finally gained consciousness and woke up, I felt something wet upon my forehead. Slowly, my eyes opened and I found Carlisle one side of me, Edward the other and Alice, Emmett and Esme at the foot of my bed. The whole family was surrounding me.

"Daddy, she's waking up," Alice said with a smile.

I looked at each of their faces before speaking. "Hi," I said to the room.

"How are you feeling, Bella?" Carlisle asked, reaching into his briefcase for something. He pulled out a thermometer.

"I've been better," I joked. I opened my mouth and Carlisle put the thermometer under my tongue.

"Leave that in for a few minute and keep that damp cloth on your head," he said. I had to keep my mouth shut whilst the thermometer was in, but I had to admit, sleeping had worked wonders. My headache had really faded and I could barely feel it anymore. My nose was still runny, but a cold doesn't go away like that does it? After a few minutes, Carlisle took the thermometer away and looked at it.

"Well, your temperature is returning to normal. What happened, Bella?"

"I got caught in the rain," I said, feeling like an absolute idiot.

"Well that explains the cold," he smiled. "How much sleep did you get last night?"

I avoided eye contact. "Uh, two hours," I said in a quite voice. Suddenly, something squeezed my hand. I looked over and saw Edward's hand holding mine. How had I not noticed it before? I looked into his eyes and all I could see was concern. So guess who decided to make a guest appearance?

He smiled lightly at my blush before I turned back to Carlisle feeling even more of an idiot than before.

"Well, make sure you get plenty of sleep tonight and remember to drink lots of fluids. I'll be back in a bit later to check on you," he told me with a warm smile. Esme, Alice and Emmett left the room. Carlisle looked at Edward.

"I'll stay with her for a while," he told his father. My heart suddenly jumped in my chest at the fact that he wanted to stay with me. Carlisle nodded before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

I looked at Edward and he was just giving me a heart-warming smile which set my soul on fire at the mere sight of it. I still couldn't believe that he had held me in his arms like that. Sure, he was only carrying me to my room but that didn't stop the fact that it felt amazing. I felt so safe and protected, as if nothing could touch me or hurt me because he was holding me. Not to mention how warm he was. I was in pure heaven.

He gripped my hand a little tighter. "Is the cloth on you head still cold?"

"No, it feels warm actually."

He took it from my head and told me that he would be right back. He returned after a few seconds with a fresh cloth. He moved over to me and began brushing rogue strand of hair from my forehead before laying the cloth upon it. He then sat down next to my bed. I don't know what he sat on, I presumed it was a chair or something.

"You really scared me, you know," he said, playing with strands of my hair. He really seemed to be concentrating on it and I felt automatically guilty. The last thing I wanted Edward to feel was scared. All I wanted him to be was happy and joyful, not scared or sad.

"Sorry," I said to him.

"Just promise me you won't do that again, ok?"

"I promise," I smiled at him. Believe me, I was in no rush to go through all of that again. I hated being ill anyway. I was just grateful that Carlisle was a doctor otherwise I would have ended up in the hospital or something. I hated hospitals and shivered at the thought of it.

"Are you cold?" Edward asked me, taking my shiver to mean something else.

"A little," I said, now realizing that I was a little cold. I hadn't really noticed in before. Edward left suddenly, but came back with a large quilt. I looked at it. It was knitted in all sorts of colors and wih all sorts of patterns. It was really pretty like a rainbow.

"My mom made it for me when I was little. It's really special to me and it's really warm," he told me. He laid it over me and tucked it in around me. His close proximity caused my stomach to flutter overtime and I was loving every minute of it. After he tucked me in, I let out a yawn. He began to chuckle.

"Looks like someone is still tired. You should get some rest," he told me.

I nodded at him, feeling my eyelids begin to droop a little. He took the cloth from my forehead and laid it on my bedside table.

"I'll be back to check on you later," he whispered to me. Then he hovered over me, bent down and placed a gentle kiss upon my forehead. His beautiful lips lingered on my skin for a while before he slowly pulled away. My skin tingled where his lips had been and I automatically wanted them back. It wasn't exactly the kind off kiss I yearned for from Edward, but that didn't stop the butterflies in my stomach and my sub-concious from doing a little victory dance.

"Sleep well, sweet Bella," he whispered to me. My heart pounded hard at his gentle warm words. He gently stroked my hair before moving away. I was asleep before he had time to leave the room.


	12. Bliss

_Hey!_

_Thank you, thank you, thank you to bells254, Cullen0-Lover-101, chst, Caitlin S., mindreadingweirdo, HealThisHeartbreak, pizza003, twilightluver39, sprinter1, The Young Authoress, edwardlover213, lionlambnatz, miscymist78, Tommygrl1997, Leena Abdelmagid, pixie freak, maryse939, lilmaher and yes Salas for their brilliant reviews. You guys are so awesome._

_Well, my mom watched Twilight… and she loved it! She's gonna read the books now, bless her! Good times! …. 4 days folks!_

_This chapter is named after 'Bliss' by Muse, the second best band in the world. Full stop!! Enjoy guys…_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight… but I'm going to see the Jonas Brothers in concert tomorrow night. EXCITED!!!!_

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

"Is there anything else you need, sweetheart?" Esme asked me on Tuesday evening.

"No, I'm fine thanks," I smiled at her, taking the tray of soup she had brought in and happily tucked into it. She left the room with a smile, closing the door behind her, leaving me in bed with my dinner. It was chicken soup, my favorite.

At long last, and after the longest weekend of my life, I was finally on the road to recovery. After sleeping for practically the whole of Saturday, I was beginning to perk up on Sunday. By Monday morning, I was walking around the house, happy as anything, I felt great. The sleep had worked absolute wonders and my temperature had sub-sided dramatically. Sure, I still had the remnants of a cold, but who doesn't have a cold in December? I was all ready and raring to go back to school today too, but Carlisle made me stay at home for just one more day, just to be on the safe side.

Emmett thought I was crazy for wanting to go back to school. He told me that when he was little, he would act sick for as long as he could, hoping to get a week at home. Pity his fake illnesses only lasted a few days, but that's what happens when your dad is a doctor and can figure out that you're lying! The truth was, I wanted to get back to school because I missed everyone. The Cullen children would go to school, Emmett would go to college and Carlisle would go to work. And since Esme would be so wrapped up working too, I was pretty much left on my own. Sure, I would read my books, but I missed the company, I wanted someone to talk to and to laugh with.

I missed Emmett making me laugh, Jasper being so sweet to me and helping me calm down, Rosalie's constant gossiping, Alice's hyper activeness and loving nature and pretty much everything about Edward. I just missed him in general. If I went back to school, I would be back with my friends and that's what I yearned for the most.

I was grateful when they would return from school, because the first thing they would do would be to come into my room and see how I was. Alice even brought me flowers on Monday. The sentiment was so sweet, that I began to cry, which in turn caused Alice to cry too. I apologized, but she said that it wasn't my fault. She always cried when someone else did, I just started her off. I really loved these guys. Emmett had shown me how the plasma TV in my room worked so that I could watch it during the day and Emmett, Edward and I spent all of Monday night watching DVDs and eating popcorn and candy. My cold was getting better, but all three of us had stomach aches that night!

I was a little peeved when Jasper and Edward brought school work home for me. I was supposed to be ill! But, at least I wasn't bored and I would have been behind the rest of the class if I hadn't have done it. I didn't want to have to go into school and need to catch up on everything, so I accepted the work and did it without question.

I quickly ate my soup before drinking down my hot chocolate. I was still in my bed since it was so warm, so I got out and went downstairs to dispose of my mug and bowl. I entered the big kitchen and set my dirty things in the sink, ready to wash them.

"There she is!" Emmett's big voice boomed from behind me.

"Hi, Emmett," I smiled as he approached me. His lively, happy outlook made me feel exactly the same. He rubbed my head, messing up my hair - not that it wasn't a mess anyway.

"How you feeling, kiddo?"

"Better, thanks," I replied. "I can't wait to get back to school tomorrow."

"Rather you than me," he joked. He opened the fridge and took out a can of coke before going back up to his room. I quickly washed up before heading into the living room. Esme and Carlisle were seated together on the sofa when I entered. They gave me a smile as I sat down upon the love seat.

"Have you finished eating?" Esme asked me.

"Uh-huh," I replied with a nod. "I've washed up too."

"There was no need, dear. I could have done that."

Esme was so sweet sometimes. It was no bother really, I was happy to do it. She does so much around the house and I just wanted to lessen her work load. It was only washing up a mug and a bowl after all, it was the least I could do.

"How are feeling, Bella?" Carlisle asked me.

"Much better thanks," I smiled. "I think I'm ready to go back to school."

"Well, you look a lot better," he commented. "You should be fine to go tomorrow."

I smiled at his answer. No more stuck in my room on my own! I could finally leave the house and do something. I was suddenly feeling very happy and the smile remained upon my face as I eventually settled into bed that night.

The drive to school was very loud the next day, loud in the sense that Alice talked during the whole journey. I wasn't exactly sure what she was talking about because all of her words just seemed to run into each other. She was talking so fast! I think I caught the words "mall" and "sale" and I was automatically uninterested. Jasper tried to calm her down but it was all to no avail. Edward just rolled his eyes and ignored her, turning the radio up. I was beyond grateful when we pulled up to the school and Edward parked the car.

I knew I had to go to the library at lunch, I needed a text book for English and I was worried that it may have been taken out. I had to get it fast.

"But you will be hungry if you go," Alice said as we walked across the car park.

"I'll be fine. Plus, I had a big breakfast," I replied. "And Edward needs the book too."

"I do?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowed in the cutest way. _Hmmmmm……_ I swear my sub-conscious was drooling.

"Yes," I laughed. "You were probably asleep when we were told."

"Figures!" Jasper joked.

The morning passed quickly. We did the Civil War in History, which Jasper was really eager about. He knew the answer to every question, I was very impressed. English went quickly too, though I didn't really understand what we learnt, I was just focused on the notes Edward kept sending me. We were like two little kids sending each other secret letters. It was really fun. We almost got caught once or twice. Trig with Jasper passed by slowly since all we did was worksheets all lesson. When the lesson was over, I said my good byes to Jasper and hurried to the library, hoping no-one had taken out the book I wanted.

I was in luck. I soon spotted it and grabbed it off of the shelf as quickly as I could, taking it to the desk and taking it out in my name. I turned to leave the library and go to the cafeteria, when I spotted someone sitting at a desk, working. I hadn't seen him for a while, so I hurried on over.

"Hi, Jacob," I smiled. He looked up from his work and grinned when he saw it was me.

"Hey, Bella! How are you, I heard you were ill?"

"I'm much better, thank you," I replied, sitting down on one of the chairs next to him, placing my book on the desk.

"Well that's good. I was a little worried."

"Well, I'm great now," I smiled. I looked down at his work. "Having fun?"

"Hardly. I have Math work to do," he told me, tapping his pen on the desk.

"Sounds exciting!" I joked. He looked at me, then laughed at my remark. We had to stop laughing when the librarian walked past and told us to keep it down.

"Well, you look and sound a lot better," he said. I felt a lot better too. He looked over at my textbook that was on his desk and raised an eyebrow. "Pride and Prejudice?"

"Uh-huh," I nodded. "It's for English."

"It's a good book," he said.

"You've read Pride and Prejudice?" I asked incredulously. I never really had Jake down as a Jane Austen fan.

"I have two older sisters who used to love those kinds of books. I heard about it that much when I was younger, that I just decided to read it," he answered. I never knew that Jacob had sisters. I would have loved a sister… or even a brother. Any kind of sibling would have done. Sure, my mom was just a big child at heart, but it was never the same. My mom was my mom after all, not my sister.

I suppose I could call the Cullen children my siblings now. Alice was my little sister who I loved with all my heart, Emmett was my older brother who always looked out for me and Edward was… Edward was something _more_. He wasn't my brother, he was something else. Something much stronger.

"It's one of my favorites," I smiled.

"Yeah, I enjoyed it to be fair. I know it's a girly book, but it wasn't bad."

It was really nice to talk to someone about this subject and to talk to Jacob was even better. I hadn't seen him in so long, so I was really enjoying our little get together. I would have to meet up with him more often, it was good to have a friend in the social jungle that was Forks High School.

"I bet you're a Darcy fan, huh?" he grinned.

"Who isn't!?" I laughed.

"All the girls are." His eyebrows furrowed a little then, almost as if he was thinking about something. "What about Wickham?" he asked. I was confused by his question.

Wickham? Why would I like him? Wickham was the bad guy. He double crossed Darcy, then lied to Elizabeth about the whole thing before running away with her little sister and marrying her. If Darcy hadn't have found them, who knows what would have happened. I didn't like Wickham at all!

"Wickham was the bad guy," I argued.

"Exactly! That's why he was my favorite character."

Again, I never had Jacob down as a fan of someone like Wickham. The man was vile. Who would do something like he did, to someone like Darcy? I didn't think Jacob would praise activities like that. Yet, its personal choice after all. Perhaps Jacob saw something in the character that I didn't.

"Each to their own, I suppose," I smiled.

I was just about to change the subject, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alice skipping towards me, all smiles and grins. How can one person be that lively? Jasper and Edward were right behind her. Edward's happy face suddenly dropped at the sight of Jacob next to me and Jacob's smile suddenly disappeared too. _Oh, this is uncomfortable._

"Hi, Bella. Do you have your book?" Alice asked sweetly. She gave Jacob a little wave. He gently waved back.

"Uh, yeah," I replied, standing up from my seat, grabbing my book along the way. "I was just about to come find you guys."

"Come on then," Alice giggled, skipping away, Jasper right behind her. I put my book into my bag, whilst Edward waited for me. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife, it was so tense. They really seemed to have a problem with each other.

"Ready?" Edward quietly asked me. I nodded as I turned to Jacob.

"See you soon, Jake."

Jacob stood up and suddenly embraced me in a hug. "It was good seeing you, Bells. We will have to meet up soon." The hug was nice and totally friendly. I found myself wrapping my arms around Jacob's huge torso and hugging him back. I couldn't see Edward from where I was standing, but I had a funny feeling his face would be pretty angry looking. I dreaded to think. As soon as Jacob let me go, Edward grabbed my hand and started leading me out of the library before I had time to take a breath. I offered Jake a quick wave before he was out of sight and we were in the corridor.

Edward seemed to have an angry expression on his face and he was squeezing my hand pretty tight. He was irritated, I knew he was. He was deathly silent and I could hear every heavy breath that he took. The last time I saw him as annoyed as this was back when he detested me, before we became friends. That was how I knew he was definitely angry. I just wanted to make him better, to put that glorious crooked grin back on his lips. Instead, his grip on my hand got tighter.

"Edward," I started. "My hand…"

"Bella?" he suddenly said, stopping in his tracks and letting go of my hand. He turned to face me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Do you have any homework to do tonight?"

"No," I said.

"And no plans either?"

I shook my head, wondering where this conversation was going. He seemed pretty annoyed, no doubt with Jacob. I could see his irritation in his eyes. Was it just seeing Jacob, or was it the hug? He just seemed a little angry at the sight of my new friend, but when he hugged me, Edward looked and acted livid. Was he… jealous? My sub-conscious prayed that he was! But why would he be jealous? Edward and I were mere friends, that's all. Even though I wished with all my heart that we were something else, I knew my place. He was one of my closest friends. That was it.

"Good, because I want to show you something later, ok?" he said, removing his hands and putting them down by his side.

"Uh… ok," I smiled. He nodded and smiled back.

"Good. Now come on, or else we'll be late for Biology." I hoisted my bag further up my shoulder before we left for class, curious to know what he would show me later.

The journey home was fairly quiet. Alice seemed to have calmed down with regards to the sale at the mall and was now discussing Christmas with Jasper. It was only a few weeks away and I hadn't even thought of presents for everyone. I knew I would get Emmett something funny and I'd get Alice something really girly, but I had no idea what to get everyone else. It looked like I needed to get the note pad out.

We pulled up to the house and we all hurried out of the car and into the huge house. Edward spoke to me.

"Go take your bag off and make sure you wear a warm coat."

I nodded before going upstairs and doing as he said. I threw my bag onto the bed before getting on my scarf and gloves. I already had my big coat on. I hurried down the stairs and found Edward in the foyer, zipping up a rucksack.

"What's in the bag?" I asked.

He smiled when he saw me. "You'll see."

He shouted to his mother that we were going before he opened the front door and we left the house. Yet, instead of turning right to head down the long hidden drive, we turned left - towards the forest. I was a little confused, but I trusted Edward and so followed wherever he led. We walked down a dirty track until we came to the end of it, only trees standing before us. We made our way into the wilderness, fighting our way through grass and fallen trees. Edward had to help me over a few obstacles, I knew that I wouldn't have defeated them on my own.

"Where are we going, Edward?" I asked him for the hundredth time but he just kept giving me the same answer.

"You'll see, but trust me, you will love it." He helped me over a huge fallen branch and we continued walking.

I let it go after a while and just followed him, taking in the scenery. Forks was so different to Phoenix. Even in the depths of winter, the trees were all flushed with green and beauty, almost as if it were the middle of spring. The leaves were still new and strong and the grass overgrown. It was truly an amazing sight to behold. Only the temperature told me of the wintery season. Phoenix was always yellow and dry, nothing like this. Forks grew on me more and more every day.

After about 20 minutes of trekking through the woods, Edward stopped and turned to face me, a huge grin on his lips. The sun was behind him and for the briefest moment, he was like some kind of angel, perfectly sculpted into this godlike creature. He was beautiful.

"Right, Bella, I need you to close your eyes, ok? Don't worry, you won't get hurt. Just trust me."

I did trust him and so did what he said. With my eyes closed, I saw nothing and began to panic a little. Yet, as soon as I felt Edward's hands hold mine, the panic was washed away and replaced with reassurance and trust. Carefully, he led me forward, telling me when to step over things and which direction to go. His guiding hands never left mine. I had complete and utter trust in him. I always would.

Suddenly, he stopped and I followed suit. He let go of my hands and I heard him move to my side, his hand resting upon my shoulder. I was both scared and excited about what was going on. His closeness relaxed me greatly.

"Ok, Bella. Open your eyes."

I did as I was told and nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. I gasped at where I was and loved it from the moment I saw it.

We were standing in the middle of a small meadow. It was surrounded by the tallest green trees, acting almost like a wall, protecting us and keeping us safe. The floor was covered in the greenest grass and full of the most beautiful wild flowers of all shapes, sizes and colors. Birds chirped in the background, creating beautiful music and the surrounding trees protected us from the harsh cold winds, making the meadow warm and cozy. It was the single, most beautiful place I had ever visited, like something from a fairytale.

"So," his voice said, breaking me from this mesmerizing place. "What do you think?"

"Edward…" was all I could say. I was lost for words. This place just took my breath away.

He smiled at my reaction. "I found this place when I was about six. I was going through a tough time and I stumbled across it. I come here to think, you know? I come here when I want to be alone. It's my safe little haven. Do you like it?"

"I love it," I whispered, still gazing around, trying to take it all in.

"We're the only two people who know about it," he said to me. This place, it was… ours. Mine and Edward's and it made my heart swell with joy. "It's out little secret."

I couldn't quite take it all in. He had brought me here, to this place, his secret place, all to share it with me. The butterflies appeared in full force and my heart began to pound. Strange feelings were being to appear again.

He grabbed my hand and we walked over to a large tree, standing at the foot of it. Edward took off the rucksack and began to empty its contents. He had brought a picnic. My heart swelled even more.

"It's to celebrate you getting better," he said, answering an unsaid question I had been thinking. "I figured I'd do something nice for you."

The first thing he pulled out of the bag was a large red and white checked blanket, perfect for picnics. He laid it out and we both sat down upon it. Next he started pulling out different varieties of foods. Sandwiches, chips, cookies, salad, not to mention all the bottles of coke.

"You made all this?" I asked him, gazing at the food.

"Sure did!" he grinned.

"Wow," I said, taking a sandwich. "Thanks, Edward."

"No problem," he replied.

I couldn't quite believe that he had gone to all of this trouble, just for me, just to celebrate that I was feeling better. Edward surprised me more each and every day. It made me feel so special that he would do this for me, it really showed me what a great friend he was.

_Even though you want him to be something more!_

I ignored my sub-conscious. She had said enough at the weekend, telling me I was stupid for not taking a coat. I was sick of hearing her. The annoying thing about her was that she was usually right and I just didn't want to listen. She had been right about everything else, what if she was right about this? If I was brutally honest, yes, I did want Edward to be something more to me than just a friend. But I knew that he didn't see me that way. Sure, he was jealous of Jake and we had had a few… moments, but what could he possibly see in me? Edward could have any girl in the world if he wanted to. There was nothing special about me at all.

We quickly ate up the food and talked about everything. School, the family, music, films, TV, each other. It was such a wonderful thing that we were sharing, all wrapped up in our own little meadow together, no-one to come and interrupt us. We could do anything.

"The trees are so tall here," I commented as I looked once again at my surroundings. I had never seen trees quite as tall as the ones that were around us. This meadow was truly amazing.

"And green too," Edward said. "They were really good to climb when I was little."

"I've never climbed a tree," I said, mainly to myself.

"You've never climbed a tree?!" Edward asked, totally shocked by my statement, dropping his cookie, trying to be dramatic.

I shook my head and giggled at his movement. "I'm not the most coordinated person in the world, Edward. I'd probably slip and fall out the tree."

He looked as if he was thinking to himself, debating with himself in his head. His eyes met mine. "Right, then I'll teach you," he suddenly said, standing up.

"What?" I looked at him. "Edward, I'll fall, trust me."

"No you won't. I'll help you. You taught me to make cookies, I'll teach you to climb a tree." he held his hand out for me to take. "Trust me."

I was apprehensive. Could someone really teach clumsy Bella Swan to climb a tree? Well, if I was going to let anyone teach me, it would be Edward. A let out a deep breath and took his hand, standing up along the way. I knew this wouldn't end well, but I trusted Edward with all my heart. I knew I would be ok.

He walked over to the shortest tree he could find and told me what to do. "Just grab the lowest branch, put your foot against the tree trunk and hoist yourself up."

"That's it?" I asked.

"That's it," he replied.

"What if I fall?" I asked, not at all confident in myself.

"Then I'll catch you," he promised.

I nodded before holding my breath and doing what he said. I grabbed the branch as tightly as I could and pushed myself up with my foot. I somehow managed to do it and I twisted myself round so that I was sitting on the branch.

"Edward! I did it!" I grinned. I had never been able to do anything like that in my life, yet here I was, climbing a tree by myself. I was so proud.

"See, I told you," Edward suddenly said from my side. He was sitting on the branch next to me, I hadn't even seen him climb the tree. My voice made a little squeak at his sudden closeness and I almost lost my balance. Edward quickly wrapped his arms around my waist to keep me steady and just laughed. I blushed the deepest red.

"It's not funny, Edward," I pouted.

"You shouldn't pout like that," he smiled. "Or else your face will stick that way."

I grinned at his teasing and pushed him a little. That's when his head hit a few of the branches above him and droplets of water from the weekend rain fell and spilt all over his head. He had a look of pure shock on his face and I had to cover my mouth with my hand to stop the laughter from breaking away. He was soaked.

"You didn't just do that," he said with his crooked grin. I could no longer hold it in and the laughter poured out of me. It was karma for him laughing at me losing my balance and I found it so funny. "I'm so going to get you for that, Bella," he said jokingly.

I screamed as he reached out to grab me and I jumped out of the tree, miraculously managing to land on my feet and I began to run. He jumped out of the tree and began to chase me. I just couldn't stop laughing. This time however, it wasn't laughter because I found what happened to Edward funny, but it was laughter to show that I was enjoying myself. I had never had so much fun before. I felt so wild and free, finally being able to act like a teenager again. He was laughing too, but I just kept running, totally joyful and happy.

I looked behind me and saw his perfect form gaining on me, he was much faster than I. I ran around all of the flowers, giggling before he finally caught me from behind. He wrapped his arms around my waist and began twirling me around in circles. I began screaming, giggling and laughing. I was aving the time of my life. He suddenly stopped and whispered in my ear.

"Got ya!"

It made me shiver as I felt his warm breath hit my skin and we suddenly collapsed onto the ground in fits of giggles, lying amongst the wild flowers. We lay there, next to each other, staring at each other amongst the beauty of the meadow as the last of our laughs and giggles died down to a comfortable silence. I was probably getting my hair and clothes covered in grass and dirt, but I didn't care. The only sound was our breathing and I was so content, lying here, staring at the amazing creature before me.

His emerald eyes traced my face so tentatively, taking in every detail, just as I was doing to him. I knew Edward's face better than any other. He was too perfect for words to describe, the only way to really appreciate his beauty being to actually see it for yourself. It really was a sight to behold. But it wasn't just his beauty that was appealing, it was everything. He was funny, witty, kind, warm hearted. His personality was infective and his mind was amazing. He was everything to me and so much more.

_You have it bad, Bella!_

Little Miss sub-conscious was right, as usual. I did have it bad. Very bad. Just lying here with him, in this silence, in this glorious meadow was a moment of pure bliss and I didn't want to leave. I would just stay here with him forever if I were able to. He made my heart pound in my chest, he made butterflies flutter in my stomach, he made my knees go weak and my skin would be set alight where ever he touched me. He was all I could see and all that I needed. He was my everything.

His hand moved across the ground and held mine in a gentle warm grip, sending a glorious serge of electricity throughout my body. I could never tire of that feeling. It was amazing, the things he could do to me.

_Jeez, Bella. You sound as if you're in love with the guy or something._

Oh god! I… I wasn't, was I? A crooked grin spread across his perfect lips as he intertwined out fingers together and I realized in that moment, just being here, alone with him, that I was. I had to be, there was no other explanation for my thoughts and feelings and I was finally able to admit it to myself.

I was falling in love with Edward Cullen.

And it was the single most amazing discovery of my life. I suddenly felt alive at my realization. I was actually falling in love with him. I smiled back at him and he squeezed my hand. This was the most amazing feeling in the world. I never thought I'd ever fall in love, but here I was, feeling that very emotion, wrapped up in my own little world with Edward. Everything suddenly seemed… right. It was odd, but completely understandable. Everything suddenly fell into place. I had no idea how he felt about me. His little actions like holding my hand and making me laugh did make me wonder if he felt the same, but all I could think about was how I felt about him. I had never felt this strongly about someone before.

"You ok?" he whispered, rubbing his thumb across the back of my hand. He shuffled his body a little closer to me until our shoulders were touching, our faces inches apart through the green grass. He looked even better close up.

"Perfect," I whispered back. And I really was. Absolutely perfect.

Suddenly, Edward's phone began to beep. He let out an annoyed sigh before reading the text he had received.

"Mom wants to know when we are coming back. She doesn't want us walking through the woods in the dark."

He stood up and gave me his hand, helping me to my feet. We walked over to the picnic layout and began to put everything back into the rucksack. I looked up at the sky and noticed how dark it was really getting. Night would be drawing in pretty soon and it was bound to get colder. All I wanted was a few more minutes with him, alone in our meadow and I would have been happy. But I just thought about the time we had shared together here, the precious moments I had with him, I would retain the perfect happy memories forever. I knew I would have to get him to come here again with me soon. With everything packed away, Edward put the rucksack onto his back. He took my hand and held it the whole way home, never letting go once. It was pure bliss and I couldn't keep the satisfied grin off my face. He really was my Mr. Darcy.

We finally reached the house and Edward opened the front door, allowing me to enter the warm cozy house first like a true gentleman. He closed the door behind him and he went to the kitchen to empty the rucksack. He gave me a wink before he left and I swear, my legs turned to jelly at the mere sight of it. He really didn't know what he did to me.

It was finally time for bed after what seemed like hours of watching TV. Alice and I said goodnight to everyone before ascending the stairs together. I was feeling rather tired and was looking forward to cuddling up in my nice warm bed.

"Bella?" Alice said to me once we reached the top of the stairs. I looked at her, but found her usual smile gone. She looked rather sad. "Can I quickly speak to you?"

"Sure, Alice," I replied. We both went to my room and I gently sat on the bed. Alice stood in front of me, her fingers intertwined. She was biting her lip, considering what to say. I was suddenly worried. Alice was never this sad or this nervous. Something had to be seriously wrong. Then it dawned on me. What if she knew of my feelings for her brother? I had been acting very happy and dream like since I excepted my feelings and Alice was very perceptive, what if she had picked up on it all? Its not that I didn't want her to know, but I wanted Edward to know before anyone else did.

"I need to speak to you about Edward." Oh god, she did know. _Busted!_

"What about him?" I asked, very nonchalant, hoping to cover my tracks.

"Well… it's just… you need to stay away from him tomorrow," she said. Ok, not exactly what I was expecting to hear. I was expecting a lecture on how to treat her brother right and how to tell him of my feelings, not this.

"Stay away from him?" I asked, a little confused.

"Yeah, just for tomorrow. He likes to be alone."

"I don't understand," I said. What happens tomorrow?

She let out a sigh, sitting next to me on the bed. "It's not my place to tell you."_ Oh here we go again! _I made my sub-conscious quiet down. "It's just, tomorrow is a big day for Edward, my dad and I, and Edward gets especially emotional, so it's best to leave him on his own. He prefers it that way."

"What happens tomorrow?" I enquired, very curious now.

"Sorry, Bella, but like I said, it's not my place to tell you. It's Edward's choice."

Edward hadn't expressed any concern about tomorrow. What ever was going to happen, it had to be pretty bad for Alice to take me to one side and warn me. "Oh. Ok," I replied with a nod.

"Thanks, Bella." She gave me a smile, even though it didn't reach all the way up to her eyes and quickly kissed me on the cheek. "Goodnight, Bella. Sleep well." She skipped out of my room, closing the door behind her.

My good feelings from earlier had disappeared and I was now just full of worry. How could I leave Edward alone? Tomorrow must be really bad if he doesn't want to see anyone. I got changed and got into bed, willing sleep to come. Yet, I couldn't get what Alice had said to me off of my mind.

What was so bad about tomorrow?


	13. We cry

_Hi!_

_Thanks to Edward cullen loves me 4ever, Adrianna1120, Caitlin S., Leen 15, HealThisHeartbreak, girlwithwings2, britbrat35892587, twilightluver39, lionlambnatz, chst, edwardlover213, miscymist78, bells254, mindreadingweirdo, pizza003, Cullen0-Lover-101, sprinter1, VainVamp, WilDTeeNTaLker, and RunEdwardRun. I absolutely love you guys!_

_1. Omg, I saw the Jonas Brothers in concert on Tuesday night… AMAZING! It was unbelievable and just so awesome! And Joe is even hotter in real life! They were so good!_

_2. Omg, New Moon in 1 day. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH………….. (enough said!)_

_This chapter is named after 'We Cry' by a band called The Script. They are from Ireland and I really recommend them. This is one of my favorite songs, give it a listen ;) … also the singer is hot!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight… duh!_

* * *

Edward Cullen's Point of View.

My eyes reluctantly opened the next morning, taking in the dreary wet weather outside of my bedroom window and any joy I had had from sharing my day with Bella yesterday faded into complete sadness. I lay I bed for a while, staring up at the ceiling, finding it hard to move, knowing what today would bring for my family, for my dad, for me. It was the one day each year that I dreaded the most, but it would come around inevitably, depressing me more every time, whether I liked it or not.

The rain outside perfectly reflected my feelings inside and I just wanted to close my eyes again and allow sleep to sweep me up. I was happy in my sleep, my dreams usually full of Bella and I could escape anywhere, letting whatever I wanted happen. Just to get lost in it for a few moments more would be a blessing. Anything would beat how I was going to feel today. I knew it was coming, but that didn't make it any easier.

I sat up in my bed, running my hands through my wild hair and rubbing the sleep from my eyes before looking at my clock.5.30am. Even though it was a school day, no-one would be up until at least seven. I knew I would have some time to myself before everyone came downstairs, their glum faces looking similar to mine. They knew to leave me alone today; they knew what it did to me… what it would always do to me.

I got out of bed, putting on some socks to keep my feet warm before leaving my room and going downstairs. I was silent the whole time, trying not to wake anyone. I didn't like company on this day; I preferred to spend this day by myself, alone with my thoughts. No-one to talk to me, to tell me to cheer me up, to ask if I wanted anything. I didn't want any of that. The only company I would want today would be my own. My family respected that, we all had our own ways of dealing with today after all.

The living room was silent when I entered it, the only noise being that of the ticking clock, marking each second in which I would have to suffer this day. The curtains were closed, making the room darker than it actually was and it was totally empty of anyone. It was the perfect setting for a reclusive on a day like this. Silent, dark, lonely, perfect.

I let out a deep sigh before doing the routine I had perfected over the years, just for this day. With my shoulders slumped, I made my way over to my piano, sitting down on the bench. It wasn't my piano, not really, it was hers. I was just… looking after it for her, keeping its music alive for her whilst she was gone. She always played it much better than I ever could anyway. It would never sound as good as it had when she used to play it. I pressed my fingers to the keys and began to play. I didn't know what I played; I just let my fingers move across the keys, letting the piano create its beautiful song.

She had taught me to play; everything I knew was down to her. I played to make her proud, to make her smile. Even when I was awful and would miss notes, she would praise me saying even the greatest of players slipped up every now and again. She was so supportive, always encouraging and full of praise. She was my guiding star… and I missed her.

I lifted my arm, wiping a fallen tear on the back of my wrist.

It was too early to cry. If I started this early, I wouldn't be able to stop. I couldn't allow myself to cry here, not when anybody could come in and see me. I would save it for the privacy of my room, where I could cry in peace. I continued to play, feeling the sad emotion of the song. Even the music was reflecting my melancholy mood. Could no part of me be cheerful on this day?

I suddenly heard footsteps behind me, footsteps that should not be there. I stopped playing, my face tense and I whipped my head around to see who was interrupting me on today of all days. This was the day when I wanted to be alone. I wanted no company. Nothing.

Bella was standing there, looking like deer caught in the headlights, her eyes wide at the fact that she had been caught. She was frozen to the spot. My face quickly relaxed when I saw her standing there. I could never remain mad at her. Never. She genuinely looked terrified at being there.

"Edward," she began. "I'm so sorry, I was just going to… I'll leave." She began to turn away.

"No, its fine," I told her softly. "Stay."

In all of the twelve years since this day had become what it was, I had never asked anyone to stay with me. Not even my father or my sister. This day was just as bad for them as it was for me, yet I had never asked for their company. Not once. Yet Bella could get around the rule and she didn't even know that she was doing. It was amazing the way she could make me act. I didn't want her to go.

"But Alice said…" she tried.

"Please," I said to her, practically begging. I shuffled over a little on the piano bench to give her room to sit. Her warmth would be comforting now, I knew that. She was apprehensive at first, biting her lip whilst she had an internal debate. Finally, she stepped forward and sat next to me, her hands in her lap.

We didn't look at each other and we didn't say anything. The company was enough to keep us both satisfied. Talking was unnecessary. When I was ready, I lifted my hands and began to play once again, allowing the song to fill the room.

"Clair de Lune," Bella sweetly commented, her voice mingling beautifully with the piano, creating the sweetest of sounds.

I nodded. She had loved 'Clair de Lune'. It was the first song that she had ever taught me and so it held a special place in my heart. The fact that Bella loved it too only set to make it even more special. I loved this song.

Bella just sat there, playing with the hem of her pajama top and just listened to the music. She didn't interrupt me, not once. She just remained silent and let me play, which I was grateful for. She must have had some idea of what today was about because she looked so shocked when she had been caught. The fact that she mentioned Alice also made me realize that my sister had probably warned her about today and the fact that I should be left alone. Yet, her silence and her distance from me told me that she didn't know the reason behind today. She didn't know what happened and why we would all be like this, she just knew to stay away and keep her distance.

I wanted her to know.

Firstly, because it would be unfair on her to go through this day with us, not knowing why we were acting like we were and secondly, I wanted to open up to her, to let her know a part of me that she had never met before. I wanted to give Bella every part of myself, even this memory. I had never talked to anyone about it and I knew, right there and then, that Bella would be the first person to hear my story. Bella was my everything, she had to know this for her to fully accept me as the person I am. So I began…

"Esme isn't my real mother, you know," I said. I was throwing her in at the deep end of the story here, but if this was my story, I wanted to tell it my way. This wasn't just new to her, it was new to me too.

"What?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowed adorably. She was clearly confused and wasn't expecting my statement.

"She's not Alice's either," I continued.

"I don't understand," she told me, turning her body to face me. Warmth radiated off of her beautifully and it was very distracting, but I made sure not to miss a single note of the music.

"My dad met and married Esme when I was 7 and Alice was 5. Esme had a son, Emmett, who then became our step-brother."

Her eyes widened and I could see how enraptured in my story she was. So I continued.

"My real mom, her name was Elizabeth, and she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She was so lively and vibrant and happy. In fact, Alice is just like her." I smiled to myself at how much my little sister really reminded me of my mother. "I got her looks instead. Bronze hair and green eyes, just like her."

Bella just blinked, listening intently to me. Her face was blank and I couldn't quite gauge her reaction to my tale. Perhaps she would tell me her feelings on the subject when I had finished. I continued to play the piano as I continued with my story.

"When I was 6, I had a day off of school, teachers training or something, so my mom had the day off of work to stay with me. Dad took Alice to playschool and then went to work himself, which left me and mother with the whole day to ourselves. We did everything, watched movies, went to the park, made lunch together and played the piano."

Bella suddenly gasped. I looked at her confused, wondering what was wrong with her.

"The piano…" she said, moving her hand across the dark wooden lid. I wasn't sure what she was getting at. "You told me before that it belonged to her and I wasn't sure who that was. You meant your mother, didn't you?"

I nodded at her. I hadn't even realized that she had picked up on that. I had said that to her back before we were friends, back when I….

I didn't even want to think about those times. I was a fool, an idiot, a total moron. How could I have treated someone as precious as Bella like that? How she had managed to retain information like that, considering how I was treating her at the time amazed me. She was a truly wonderful woman. She put her hands back into her lap as I continued on with my story.

"We had just watched a movie when I decided I wanted ice cream. I wanted it badly and so moaned to my mom to get me some. Even when she told me that we didn't have any, I kept asking and moaning for some. I refused to give in." My hands started hitting the keys heavier due to my anger. The memory I was bringing up was hurting me. I couldn't believe I had done that, if I hadn't moaned and whined then she'd…

Bella suddenly put her soft warm hand upon my arm, trying to calm me down. She could see I was getting irate and her sweet touch calmed me greatly.

"Edward, its ok. You don't have to tell me." It was amazing how considerate she was and she had such a good heart. Only Bella would say that in the middle of such an important story.

"No," I said. "I'll be fine. I really want to tell you." She had to listen to this if she was to except me as a person, as Edward. She gave my arm a gentle squeeze before putting her hands back into her lap and letting me continue.

"Finally, my mom gave in. We got our coats on and got in the car before driving to the store to get that god damn ice cream. I don't know why I wanted ice cream, I mean it was the middle of December for Christ sake. But that was my mother. Always wanting to make me happy. She was so good to me." I could feel tears brimming up in my eyes, threatening to fall. I wouldn't let them. I had to be strong. I tried to blink them away as I continued on about the story of my foolishness.

"We got to the store and my mom brought me ice cream. She couldn't understand why I wanted ice cream in the middle of winter either, but I insisted on having it. She paid for it and we left the store, hand in hand, getting into the car. We drove for a while, happy, cheerful, full of joy, then…" I stopped playing the piano. I couldn't do it anymore. My emotions were ready to spill out, tears were ready to fall and I was about to tell Bella everything.

"What happened, Edward?" she asked me gently, holding my hand with her own, offering me support. I couldn't even make eye contact with her, worried by what she would think. I had started this story, I had to end it.

"We… we didn't even see the car coming. The traffic light turned green and our car started moving. We drove across a cross road when it came from nowhere, speeding around a corner, out of control, right into the side of our car… on my mother's side. She tried to brake, but it was too late. It hit us and our car skidded right along the road, along with the other car, smack bang into a building."

Bella gasped, holding her hand up to her mouth in shock. I could see tears brimming in her eyes too. She began shaking her head in denial.

"Our car was smashed to pieces, a total wreck. I was unconscious for a while before coming round in a daze. I saw smoke coming out of the front of the car and there was blood on my hands. My leg was broken too."

"W-what about your mother?" she asked me worriedly.

"I- I looked over at her… and… she was…" I began to shake, sadness, anger and pain flooding my body. All of the emotions were attacking me at once. Bella rubbed my back, encouraging me to continue. Her touch was soothing and allowed me to carry on.

"She- she died upon impact. The other car hit her straight on. I tried to wake her up…" A tear fell. "… I shouted to her, cried to her to open her eyes… but she just… wouldn't."

"Oh, Edward," Bella cried as she suddenly embraced me, wrapping her arms around my shaking body. I leaned into her touch, wrapping my arms around her waist and resting my forehead upon her shoulder. I just let the tears fall, not afraid of them anymore. I had told her my story, it was now out in the open. Only the police knew of my story. I hadn't told my dad, my sister, anyone… only Bella.

My tears were soaking her pajama top, but she didn't seem to mind. She just held me tighter, rubbing my back, telling me it was all ok.

"Just let it out, Edward," she said, resting her cheek upon the top of my head. "I'm here."

And she was here, soothing me, giving me all the things that I didn't want on this day. Sympathy, a shoulder to cry on, someone to talk to. I didn't want those things, yet I craved for them from Bella. I wanted to hold her and I wanted her to hold me. It was a pure addiction.

"It's twelve years today since she died," I told her, my voice muffled by her clothes. "And it was all my fault."

"How can you say that?" she whispered.

"Who wants ice cream in the middle of winter, Bella? If I hadn't have moaned for it, we wouldn't have left the house in the first place."

"You couldn't have predicted what would happen," she whispered to me, running her hands through my hair. I closed my eyes at her soft touch, enjoying it so much. "You should never blame yourself, Edward."

I just sat there, in her arms, letting the tears continue to fall. My foolishness led my mother to her death. It was all due to my childish whining and asking. That's why I wanted to be alone each and every year. How could I ever face my father and sister after what happened? They never blamed me for what happened, telling me that I was just a six year old boy. I wasn't driving the other car, but like I said, if I hadn't have asked for ice cream, we wouldn't have left the house in the first place.

"Shhhh…" Bella lulled me. "It's ok." She gently kissed the top of my head before laying her cheek upon it again.

Bella was so understanding of everything, not judging me for what I did. The only concern she had was for _me_. She just wanted me to feel better and to be happy. She just sat and listened, not bombarding me with pointless questions. She just let me tell my story my way and she listened so intently. She had been so wonderful. I really did love my sweet precious Bella.

_WHAT?!!_

I suddenly opened my eyes wide at my thought, trying to believe if I had actually just thought it. I loved her?… I loved her?…. I loved her!!! It finally dawned on me. I did love her, I really did. How had I not come to this conclusion before? Everything I felt for her, everything she meant to me, everything she had done to me. I loved her. I loved her with all my heart, with all my being, everything thing I had was hers. My heart belonged to her.

My Bella.

For the first time in twelve years, I managed to muster a smile on this day. Ever since that fateful day, my life had been a dark dark place, with nothing good in it and nothing to live for. Then she arrived, and suddenly it was as if the light suddenly came back. I wanted to get up in the morning again, I wanted to smile, I wanted to be alive again, even if it was just to see her beautiful blush or hear the gentle melody that was her laugh. It was the reason why I couldn't stop dreaming about her, it's why she was always on my mind.

It was all because I love her.

Our visit to the meadow yesterday was single handidly the greatest moment in my life. I had never brought anyone to my meadow. I found it a few months after my mom died and it was a place where I could just be alone and think. No-one would interrupt me or distract me. It would just be me and me alone. I had been considering taking Bella there for a while, but the jealousy that surged through my veins at the sight of Jacob embracing her convinced me once and for all to take her there.

I had noticed Jacob looking at her for a few weeks. I knew that they were friends, but it still didn't stop the green eyed monster appearing whenever he was with her. The hug between them in the library just sent me over the edge and I had to show it to her. Show her my special place. I wanted to share it with her. I wanted her to know me better.

She accepted my invitation and I took her there after school. Her reaction was just what I expected from her, total love and awe for my meadow… our meadow. She appreciated it for what it was, beautiful and peaceful. I knew that she loved it just as much as I did. We ate the picnic I had prepared and just talked. No moving, no interruptions, just Bella and I getting to know each other better. It really was pure bliss.

I had the shock of my life when she said that she couldn't climb a tree. How can you not learn something like that? But she had taught me to cook, so I would teach her to climb. She surprised me by how quickly she learnt, but that's my Bella. She's wonderful.

Yet, when we collapsed into the grass and flowers, that's when I really felt I was getting to know Bella. We just… stared, having no need for words. I just looked into her deep pools of brown and looked at the way the curl in her hair shaped itself around her beautiful face like a frame. The flowers and the meadow just added to her beauty. She was like an angel. I loved it when we had these moments, I would have them everyday if I could.

"Are you ok now?" Bella gently asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

I lifted my head from her shoulder to meet her eyes and smiled. "Yeah, I'm… perfect."

She smiled back at me and slowly let me go, knowing that I was fine. I automatically missed her touch, her warmth, the gentle surge of electricity that her skin produced. I was addicted to it and now that had realized my feelings, I yearned for it even more. I carefully lifted my hand and brought it to her cheek, caressing the soft skin, basking in her radiant warmth. I ran my fingers across her cheek, remembering the feel, wanting to do it again and again. Her eyes widened at my touch, but she didn't stop me, she let me continue and continue I did.

_So beautiful…_

I suddenly wanted to kiss her, to feel her lips upon my mine and for her to know of my love. I wanted it so much. But I knew that now was not the time. It was a special day for me and I wasn't in the right place emotionally to tell her. It wouldn't be fair on my Bella if I kissed her now, whilst I'm mourning the death of my mother. But I would kiss her and tell her… soon.

I heard a gasp from the living room. Both Bella and I turned our heads, our eyes landing on Alice in much the same pose Bella had been in when I caught her. Her eyes were wide and she began to retreat to the stairs.

"Alice," I began, standing up from the bench. "It's fine."

I walked over to my sister, and for the first time in twelve years, I hugged my little sister on this day. Alice was shocked, I could tell. She was frozen to the spot, scared to move. I slowly felt my t-shirt getting wet and realized that my little sister was crying. I didn't know whether it was because I had let her see me today or because it was mom's anniversary, but I embraced her all the same, just as she embraced me.

"I miss her, Edward," she mumbled into my chest.

"I miss her too," I replied, holding her tighter. This day was tough on us all.

The feeling of euphoria running through my body was astonishing. Never, in the twelve years since mom's death had I opened up to my family. I always remained reclusive, a hermit who wanted to see no-one but myself. Yet, here I was, hugging my little sister and waiting to see my father. Yes, I actually wanted them today! I wanted my family's company… so very much.

I knew the reason behind this sudden change of heart. She was still sitting on the piano bench, no doubt with a sweet warm smile gracing her beautiful lips. My Bella really had no idea what she did to me, what she would always do to me. My sweet love.

Alice gently pulled away, wiping her eyes clean of the tears. I gave her a brotherly smile.

"I'm going to get dad," she smiled. "I want to see him. Then we can all have breakfast together… and go to school… and then have dinner together, all of us." She just couldn't stop talking. I was glad that she was happy, especially on a day like today. She ran up the stairs, calling for my father. Seeing my sister so gleeful was all that I could ask for.

I turned to face Bella and she was doing just as I predicted. That smile and that blush made her even more radiant and perfect.

"Thank you, Bella," I told her.

"What for?" she asked me, tilting her head to the side.

A huge grin broke out across my lips. "Everything."

And so the lion fell in love with the lamb…


	14. The Story

_Hi everyone!_

_A huge thanks to mindreadingweirdo, HealThisHeartbreak, SuperSayjinPanny, RunEdwardRun, britbrat35892587, lovedoves, Caitlin S., The Young Authoress, WilD TeeNTaLker, lionlambnatz, Bookworm5509, pizza003, chst, miscymist78, girlwithwings2, Adrianna1120, edwardlover213, SoftballChicky15, Cullen0-Lover-101, vicki86, bells254, sunbeam. says. smile, lilmaher, VainVamp, lillyflower's revenge, sprinter1, Tommygrl1997, TeamEdward76 and BellaSwan1994 for their reviews. Thank you all soooo much!_

_I went to see New Moon opening night… AMAZING! I absolutely loved it! It was way better than Twilight and I thought the special effects were brilliant. I'm going to see it again this week!_

_Also, a lot of you have been asking about the name of this story and where it came from. I have named it after a piece of music called 'Nara' by E. S. Posthumus. I absolutely love it, its my favorite stand alone piece of music in the sense that it has no lyrics. (I love Foo Fighters and Muse :D) Its really beautiful and it helps to show the many emotions that Edward and Bella go through - happiness, anger, sadness. Give it a listen!_

_This chapter is named after 'The Story' by 30 Seconds To Mars. Awesome band and if I could turn someone into a vampire, it would be their singer, Jared Leto!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight… and they aren't even selling it on eBay!_

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

Christmas.

My favorite holiday of the year. I loved Christmas. The turkey, the tree, the snow, the presents. They all made it so magical. I remember when I was little and I would get up each morning and run into my mom and dad's room, telling them that Santa had been before we would all go down stairs and open our presents together. The smile would never leave my face and I would be the happiest girl in the world for the whole day. Yes, I loved Christmas.

However, I knew that this Christmas would be different to the ones of my childhood. I would be spending this year with the Cullens and I was both excited and nervous at the prospect. Excited about their company and spending time with them, yet nervous over how they would actually spend Christmas. I was a little worried that their Christmases would differ greatly to the ones I had spent when I was younger. But I knew the Cullens; they would be just like me and my parents. They would spend Christmas as a family and that was all that I could ask for.

I had spent the last few weeks considering different gifts for everyone and I didn't realize how tough it would be to buy for everyone. Eventually, I decided on gifts and asked Alice if she would accompany me to the mall to fetch them. She happily obliged and I got my Christmas shopping done quite early. Alice was easy to buy for. I just got her gift vouchers, I knew she would be happy with that and would gladly use them. I knew that Emmett liked gadgets and funny things, so I got him a phone tracker to install into phones and a joke book. For Rosalie, I got her a bottle of her favorite perfume. Alice helped me pick it out and it smelt really pretty. I got Jasper a book on the Civil War - again, found with Alice's help. I brought Esme a beautiful Pashmina scarf made with the finest silk and I got Carlisle a tie. I was glad that I had Alice with me or else I would have been totally stuck!

I struggled with Edward. I wanted to get him something special, something meaningful, something that looked as if I had put a lot of thought into it. He was the easiest to buy for, yet I couldn't find anything to buy him. I finally settled on a piano book of classical songs and a CD with all his favorite classical music on it. With the amount of CDs in his room, he probably had the CD, but it was a box-set and I knew that he would love it. I brought the piano book last, since originally I wasn't going to buy it. But the story he told me a few weeks ago proved to me how much he loved his piano and so I knew that he would love something that involved it.

I could never have braced myself for Edward's story. I wasn't expecting it at all, yet when I heard it, it moved me to tears and I just couldn't stop comforting him and holding him. I knew that it was terrible witnessing your mother's death at the age of 17 like I had, but to be a 6 year old child witnessing such an event must have been horrifying. Just the thought of it, Edward, the timid little 6 year old watching her death right before his eyes, made my eyes well up with tears. It was one of those things in life that just shouldn't happen; no-one should go through something like that. I was a first hand witness after all. But even though I knew what he was going through, I could never quite feel how he did. Even after 12 long years, he still reacted just as he had when he was a little boy. My poor Edward.

The fact that he blamed himself was the most heartbreaking part. How he had come to that conclusion, I'd never know, but he should never take the blame for what happened. Never. Yet, he must have been so frightened, so scared, so… alone. I just wrapped my arms around him and let him cry. I didn't stop him and I didn't interrupt him. I just let him cry and comforted him when he needed it. To see him in such pain caused pain within me. It's impossible to watch the one you love in a position like that without it affecting you, and affect me it did. I soothed him as best as I could, hoping that I helped somehow.

I felt a lot better when he opened up to his sister rather than suffer in silence. Carlisle was over the moon too when his son spent time with him on the anniversary and it seemed to make Esme smile too, to see him so much happier. The family became even closer. If Edward hadn't have told me, I never would have guessed that Esme wasn't his real mother. He told me how she adopted Alice and himself after the marriage and Carlisle adopted Emmett. And even though Esme wasn't his mother biologically, he loved her just as much as if she was, she had raised him after all.

Yet, his story, although sad, just made me love him all the more. To know that he came out of such a situation as happy and wonderful as he had become was very inspiring and if it was even possible, my feelings for him increased. He just continued to astonish me for all the right reasons. I loved him so much.

These thoughts were swirling around my head as I opened my eyes on Christmas morning. It was still dark outside and when I looked over at my clock, I saw that it was 6.30am. I wondered if the Cullens ever got up early for Christmas. I used to when I was little. It would be 6am and I would bound into my parent's room, excited to see what Santa had brought me that year.

That's when it first dawned on me that this would be the first Christmas I would spend without my parents. No mom and no dad, just me. I didn't want to cry at the prospect, but the silent tears fell before I even had time to realize that they were there. My mind wondered to my father, wherever he was. I wondered what his Christmas would be like this year, whether those men were treating him well, whether they allowed him to celebrate Christmas, whether they had actually let him live to see Christmas…

_Bella, stop it! You need to stay positive._

My sub-conscious was right. Even though I knew there was no hope for my mother, I had to believe that my father was still out there, happy and alive. I needed to stay positive and believe that he was fine. I needed to keep telling myself that we would be reunited one day, once the police had caught those men. Those horrible men…

The Volturi.

The police had told me all about them when they took me in. They were a notorious gang, based in America, yet had members all over the world. Why they killed my mother and kidnapped my father, I'll never know, but I hoped for answers when the police would catch them. I wouldn't let them get away with what they have done to me.

I suddenly heard running footsteps out in the hallway. I sat up in my bed, eager to see what the noise was, when Alice burst into my room, complete with pink dressing gown and fluffy pink slippers, a massive grin on her lips.

"Get up, Bella! It's Christmas!"

She jumped on my bed like a 5 year old on sugar until she realized that I was awake. I saw her leave my room and enter Edward's. I knew he wasn't awake because I heard the huge groan he let out at the sight of his little sister. It just caused me to giggle. Alice was right, it was Christmas. It was supposed to be a happy time, a joyful time, so I wasn't going to let my sad thoughts bring me down. I would smile and celebrate this day with those around me. I would not let myself get depressed.

I got out of bed and walked to the hallway. I was met by Emmett who looked half asleep.

"She got you up too, huh?" he asked me through sleepy eyelids.

"She sure did," I laughed before seeing Alice exit from Edward's room. She looked quite pleased with herself and seemed more awake than Emmett and I did. Edward followed her out, giving her a glare.

"It's a good job its Christmas, Alice, or else I'd have killed you by now."

"No you wouldn't have. You love me too much," she giggled before skipping to her mom and dad's room. I had never seen someone so excited and wide awake in my life, especially at 6.30am. Even though I got up early, it still took a nice warm drink for me to be fully awake. I had no idea how she did it.

"You look how I feel," Emmett said to Edward, who was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"No kidding," Edward joked just as Esme and Carlisle were dragged out of their room by the little pixie. She was crazy.

"Alice, its 6.30am, why do you have to get us up?" Emmett asked his little sister.

"Because its Christmas, silly!" she giggled before she herded us all down stairs. We all made it downstairs, seeing all of the presents under the tree. I remembered putting it up. Alice made us work on decorating it for hours, putting on baubles and wrapping it in tinsel. It ended up looking very pretty. She let me put the angel on the top since I was the guest.

"Wow! Look at all the presents," Alice squealed as she ran over to the tree. We all gathered together and sat down in the living room. I was sandwiched in-between Edward and Emmett. I didn't mind Edward, but Emmett was so big! Esme went and sat down on the floor by Alice, next to the tree. Carlisle took the love seat.

"Who is first?" Carlisle asked.

"Bella, open mine and Jasper's first," Alice said, handing me the present. It was a small envelope which I carefully opened. There was a piece of paper in it and when I took it out, I saw that it was a receipt. I looked at it, a little puzzled. "It's the receipt for all the clothes we have brought you! They will be delivered in the next few days," Alice told me. I should have guessed that Alice and Jasper would buy me clothes. It was so obvious, yet I never guessed. I was very grateful.

The present opening went on for hours and everyone seemed to love the gifts I had gotten them. Alice began planning what to buy with her vouchers the second she opened them. Emmett loved his joke book and his phone tracker. We had no idea whether it would work or not, but it was a bit of fun and I knew he loved gadgets. Esme was very happy with her new scarf and Carlisle loved his tie. I felt that I had done rather well with my gift buying. Edward finally opened his CD and piano book and my favorite smile graced his lips.

"Bella, these are perfect, thank you so much." He gave me a hug which made my heart melt before pulling away and flicking through his book, the grin never leaving his perfect lips. I was glad that he liked the gifts; I knew I had done well.

Emmett and Rosalie brought me some DVDs and my own copy of the new Call of Duty game, since I was so good at it. I thanked Emmett, promising to take him on later. Esme and Carlisle brought me a digital camera and I nearly started crying at the kind gesture. I just couldn't believe that they had spent so much money on me, they really were too kind.

I had the shock of my life when I opened Edward's present. It was wrapped in paper with pretty ribbon and I was very careful when I opened it. I was in pure shock at the sight of it. It was a first edition of 'Pride and Prejudice' from the 1800s. It must have cost a bomb.

"Edward, I don't know what to say," I said to him still in shock.

"You're welcome!" he smiled, squeezing my shoulder.

This present really was too much. "How did you even get something like this?"

"A little shop in Seattle, do you like it?"

"I love it," I smiled. I really did. It was so perfect and exactly what I wanted.

"I thought you would like it," he winked. The blush covered my face as usual and he just smiled. _Damn you, blush! _My present to him just seemed pathetic after receiving something like this and I wished that I could have gotten him something better. He seemed happy with what I got him though, so maybe my presents weren't so bad after all.

The rest of the day was very enjoyable and I didn't realize how similar Christmas with the Cullens was compared to Christmas with my parents. They were practically the same and it was fantastic. We ate a huge delicious dinner and I was completely stuffed after eating it. We had turkey with all the trimmings and Esme did a fantastic job. Christmas was going so well. Rose and Jasper came over after we ate dinner. Rose loved her perfume and Jasper couldn't put his book on the Civil War down. They loved their presents and I was happy that they did. My gift buying had been a success!

Jasper and Rose went home in the evening which just left me and the Cullens alone. We all gathered in the living room with turkey sandwiches for supper and settled down to watch Christmas movies.

"We watch them together every year. Its sort of a tradition," Edward explained to me as we sat down. I sat between Alice and Edward and we watched films all night. A Christmas carol, Elf, It's a wonderful Life, we watched them all. It felt so festive and I realized that I had loved my Christmas with the Cullens. I had felt like one of the family rather than a guest. I was beyond happy with my presents and everybody seemed to love theirs. It had been one of the best Christmases I had ever had.

We finally called it a night at about midnight and we all headed on up to bed, tired from the day we had had. I entered my room and put my pajamas on before looking over all of my gifts. The camera was really small and cute, I hoped that Emmett would be able to show me how it worked, I would have no chance of figuring it out on my own! I was looking forward to playing video games with Emmett tomorrow. I had never played the new Call of Duty, but if it was as good as the one I had played, I knew that it would be fun. I looked over the receipt of all the clothes that Alice and Jasper had gotten me. There was tops, jeans, skirts, dresses, shoes. This must have cost them loads. The fancy dress costume on the list made me concerned, but I was sure that there was a perfectly reasonable explanation for it being there. Whether it was reasonable or not, I was still terrified!

I picked up Edward's book last and carefully traced my fingers over the cover. It was so old and delicate. How he had managed to get it was unbelievable. What touched me the most was the thought that had been put into it. He knew how much I loved books, especially this one. The story was special to me and Edward, and I couldn't have asked for a better present from him. I opened the book up and began to read.

I was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in," I said, putting the book down on my bedside table, making sure to save my page. Who could this be, knocking at this time of night? The door opened to reveal Edward with his lop sided grin. He was in his pajamas and his hair was disheveled. _Hmmm…_

"Hi," I said, puzzled by his sudden appearance. He entered the room, closing the door behind him.

"Hi," he replied, walking over to me and sitting himself on my bed, opposite me. I didn't care what time of night it was, I wasn't going to send him away anytime soon.

"You ok?" I asked him, trying to find out why he was here.

"Yeah, I just… wanted to give you something," he said. He handed me a present. It was rectangle shaped and quite small, wrapped in pretty paper.

My eyebrows furrowed as I took it from him. "What's this?"

"The second part of your Christmas present," he smiled, waiting for me to open it.

_The second part… _"You've already given me something, Edward and it was perfect. I don't need anything else."

"Please. This is the main part to your present." What! The book wasn't my main present? What could he have possibly gotten me?

"But, the book…" I started.

"Just a little stocking filler," he replied. Jeez! If that expensive antique book was a stocking filler, I dreaded to think about what this gift was.

"What is it?" I asked again.

"Just open it," he said to me, saying nothing else.

I looked down at the small box in my hands before letting out a deep sigh and ripping the wrapping paper off. It was a black velvet box. I opened and gasped at what was inside. It was so beautiful and precious and I loved it. I pulled the silver bracelet out of the box, taking a better look at it. In the middle of it was a pendant. It was in the shape of a heart and looked like a… diamond?

"Edward, I…" I was in such awe of the jewelry that I couldn't finish the sentence. It was perfect.

"I thought that you'd like it," he smiled, taking it from my hand. I held out my wrist and he put it on for me. It was a perfect fit. The pendant sparkled against the light of my bedside lamp.

"It's beautiful," I commented.

"It was my mother's," he said. My head shot up and my eyes met his at the statement. He was giving me his mother's bracelet?

"I can't accept this, Edward," I tried. I could never accept something that belonged to his mother. She was so special to him. He should keep everything that she gave to him.

"No, I want you to have it. I want to give it to you, Bella," he said.

"But... are you sure?"

"Of course I am. Merry Christmas."

I nodded, accepting his gift, tears filling my eyes. This was beyond expectation. I had never received something so wonderful and amazing before. I loved him, I loved him so much. It made me think of my mother and father and how much I missed them. I had spent Christmas without them and I wanted them back so much. It was hard not seeing them.

"Bella, are you ok?" he asked me, wiping the falling tears from my face. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

"No! Its not you," I told him. "It just made me think, that's all."

"Anything you want to talk about?" he asked with concern.

I did want to talk about it, about that dreadful night that changed my life forever, that terrible night that had brought me to the Cullens. I hadn't really talked to anyone about it, only the police. I was sort of like Edward in that way, I had kept it all to myself. I wanted to get it all off of my chest, share my feelings and emotions about the situation with someone. My mind wondered back to the deal I made with Edward on the day we made cookies, and I knew that I was ready to tell him.

"Remember that day when we made cookies and I made a deal with you? I'll tell you my story when you tell me yours? Well you kept up your end of the bargain, now it's time for me to tell my story."

"Are you sure, Bella? You don't have to if you don't want to. It was just a silly deal," he said.

"I'm sure," I nodded, looking down at the bracelet, its presence giving me a new found confidence. So I began. "You know I'm in the Witness Protection Programme, right?"

"Yeah," he said, moving closer to me, probably offering me support.

"Well I want to tell you why I'm in it. I… I witnessed a murder, a terrible murder. I ran away to safety from the awful men who committed it and now those guys are after me, trying to kill me too."

He grabbed my hand, squeezing it. His face seemed angry, but it quickly relaxed into something soothing. "I'm so sorry, Bella," he said to me. "But you don't have to worry. We will take care of you till the police find those men, and they will find them."

"I know they will, but that's not the whole story. I mean its obvious that I witnessed a murder, it's the whole reason I'm in the Programme after all." I fought back the tears, scared of telling this story. I felt how Edward must have felt when he told me his story. It was painful to recall the memories. I had been reliving it night after night in my dreams and now I was seeing it again.

"It's ok, Bella, I'm listening," he said, rubbing my back. We were so close that our shoulders were touching. His warm touch was relaxing, but I was still frightened.

"It was the victim of the murder that hurts the most," I said.

"Why?" he asked, looking confused. "Did you - did you know them or something?"

I nodded my head, mentally preparing myself for what was coming.

"Who, Bella? Who was it?" He seemed anxious and angry and I didn't know why. He must have realized that his voice was raised because his face quickly softened and he held my hand a little tighter.

This was it…

"It was… my … mom," I told him, closing my eyes, letting the tears cascade down my cheeks. There, I had said it. I knew his story, he knew mine. It was the first time that I had said it all out loud. It was as if I was clarifying it, making it seem all the more real. And it hurt.

"Bella…" I heard him whisper. I didn't open my eyes, scared that more tears would fall and Edward's face would make me even more upset. I just kept thinking about my parents and their beautiful warm faces, letting them wash over me. Suddenly, Edward's arms embraced me and he pulled me onto his lap. He cradled me gently against his chest, resting his head on top of mine. I sobbed then, letting all the pent up emotion out, letting it take over my shaking body. He knew and I knew. It was all real and I could now accept it and mourn for my mom.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," he kept whispering to me. I just grabbed his top, clenching it in my fist, trying to draw him closer to me. My head rested against his chest as I let the sobs attack my body.

"They… k-kidnapped my d-dad," I said between tears. "I don't know w-where… he is."

"Those bastards," he said, gently rocking me. I had never heard Edward swear before, so I knew that he must be just as emotional as I was. I just snuggled even closer into his chest, enjoying the contact and chocking back the sobs.

"And so the police brought me here," I said, starting to calm down a little. "My mom is dead and I have no idea where my dad is." That sentence hurt to say, more than I realized, but it was good to get it out in the open. Edward held me even tighter, not that I was complaining.

"I am so sorry, Bella." He just couldn't stop apologizing.

"It's not your fault," I said, moving back a little so that I could look into his wonderful green orbs. They were full of tears, just like mine.

"I just can't believe all of those things I said to you, before we became friends. Shouting at you to go back to your parents, I'm such a jerk," he said, hanging his head in shame.

I cupped his cheeks with my hands and brought his face back up to meet mine. "It's fine. I forgave you, remember?"

He nodded then before cradling me again against his chest. The feeling of being in his arms like I was, was wonderful. I let out a content sigh and closed my eyes, relaxing into his strong warm body. My fingers played mindlessly with the beautiful bracelet around my wrist.

"Bella?" he whispered as he gently rocked me.

"Hmm?" I answered, too content and relaxed to form a coherent answer.

"I'm going to look after you and protect you, ok? You're my… best friend. I won't let anyone hurt you. Do you understand?"

I nodded against his chest, my eyelids heavy, the late night catching up on me. As he held me even more tighter against him, I could tell that he meant every word he said. He said it with such conviction and emotion, the passion was clear in his soft voice. My gentle Edward would look after me, I knew that and it made my heart swell with joy, happiness and love for him. I snuggled closer into his chest.

"Edward?" I said through a yawn.

"Yes, Bella?"

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, love."

I didn't have time to figure out the exact meaning of the name he called me because before I knew it, I had fallen into a deep slumber in his strong protective arms.


	15. Kiss from a rose

_Hi everyone!_

_A massive thanks to pizza003, Edward Cullen loves me 4ever, HealThisHeartbreak, lilmaher, bells254, TeamEdward76, WilD TeeNTaLker, chst, Adrianna1120, Cullen0-Lover-101, lionlambnatz, mindreadingweirdo, edwardlover213, sprinter1, RunEdwardRun, secretobsession7, Caitlin S., Tommygrl1997 for their reviews. I love you guys!_

_I went to see New Moon again with my mom. She loved it and I'm going again next week with my cousin. Trust me, its even better second time around. I just love that film!_

_Right, this is the chapter you have all been waiting for! Its took until chapter 15, but this is the one! I just really hope that you guys like this and how I've done it. It's the longest chapter yet and I'm really happy with it so I hope you are too. Its taken them long enough after all!_

_This chapter is named after 'Kiss from a rose' by Seal. I absolutely adore this song. It's just so relaxing and lovely. When ever I want to chill out, I listen to this song. The name might be a bit of a give away for what happens in the chapter, but enjoy it anyway._

_Also, if you have not brought the New Moon soundtrack, buy it! It is amazing!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but I sure wish I was Bella in this chapter!!_

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

"Alice, please tell me what my costume is," I said to the little pixie, my hands on my hips.

"Nope, you will have to wait," she smiled defiantly.

"Please," I tried again.

"No, Bella. You will have to wait till tonight. But trust me, you will love it."

I let out a defeated sigh and watched Alice skip out of my room, closing the door behind her. Getting an answer out of her was going to be harder than I thought.

Today was December 31st, which meant at midnight tonight, a new year would be welcomed, and hopefully a new beginning. It also meant that tonight was the night of the infamous 'Cullen New Years Party', something that the Cullens put on every year without fail. Everyone knew about it and many people would show up to it. Esme and Carlisle always went to visit Esme's sister in Seattle at new years, which left the Cullen children with an empty house. Therefore, they put on a fancy dress party to welcome in the New Year. They did it every New Year's eve. All the kids from school would come and everybody always seemed to love it. This would be the first one I would attend and it was safe to say I was a little nervous, partly due to all the people I didn't know and the party atmosphere I would be lost in - I was never one for loud music and dancing. But secondly, I was worried because Alice refused to tell me what my costume was.

I was told that Alice picked out the costumes for us every year and whatever she says, goes! I was nervous because she wouldn't tell me what I was going as. What if she made me look like an idiot? I knew that Alice wouldn't do that, but I was scared she would dress me in something that was too revealing, or as something that I didn't like. I wasn't the only one though; no-one else knew their costumes either. Edward, Emmett and Jasper would just remain impassive and wear whatever she told them to. Rose was a little bit more like me and would try to get the costume choices out of Alice. But the pixie would always stand her ground. I just wanted to know!

I looked over at my clock, seeing that it was 2pm. The party started at 7pm, so I knew that Alice would be getting us ready quite early. I just hoped that whatever she dressed me in looked good. As much as it annoyed me though, I had the utmost faith in Alice. I just didn't like not knowing, that's all.

Esme and Carlisle had left for Seattle this morning, giving us all a warning not to trash the house before they left. We promised, but I could see an evil glint in Emmett's eye that he was definitely going to enjoy the party tonight, whether the house was trashed or not. I hoped that it wasn't going to be too loud or rowdy. I was one of those people who just preferred a quiet night in with a good book and a nice warm drink. This party was going to be a killer!

Whilst Alice, Rosalie and Jasper decorated the house and got the food and drinks ready, I watched the DVDs that Emmett and Rosalie had brought me for Christmas for the rest of the afternoon. The peace and quiet was wonderful and just what I needed. It didn't last long though because suddenly there was a knock on my door at around 5pm.

"Come in," I called out and Alice and Rosalie walked into my room, talking amongst one another. Rosalie had a makeup box and hair stuff in her hands whilst Alice carried 3 dress bags, no doubt filled with our costumes. This was going to be Hell!

"Turn the TV off, Bella. We have work to do," Alice smiled at me.

"The party doesn't start for another 2 hours," I told her, pressing a button on the remote and turning the TV off.

"Well, I need time to work my magic!" she giggled as she lay the dress bags down on my bed. I began to worry as I looked at them, still no closer to knowing what my costume was. I was assuming that the boys were getting themselves ready. I was sure that Alice would have the final say in their appearance though!

Rosalie must have noticed the worried look on my face. "Trust me Bella, its easier to just not argue with her."

Alice spoke. "Bella, go in the shower as quickly as you can and then we can begin."

I did as I was told, going in the shower, washing my body and my hair and making sure to shave my legs and armpits too. I wanted to look my best tonight after all. I wouldn't know many of the people there tonight and I wanted to make a good impression. Plus, I wanted to look nice for Edward. When I was finished, I dried myself, getting dressed into a pair of sweats and a t-shirt and going back into my room. When I entered, I saw Rose curling her hair and Alice sorting through the makeup box. The little monster was in her element! Rose smiled at me when I entered.

"She told me to curl my hair. I have no idea what for though."

Alice looked smug; I just wanted to know my costume!

"What am I going as, Alice?" I tried again for the hundredth time that day.

She pretended to zip her lips shut. "Not yet. But I've made sure your costume matches."

"With whose?" I asked, feeling a little puzzled.

"Edward's," she smiled, my breath catching in my throat as she said his name. _My costume matched Edward's?_ "Since mine matches Jazzy's and Rose's matches Emmett's, I figured I'd match yours with Edward's."

I nodded, secretly excited at the fact that we would be matching all night. My sub-conscious even had her pom-poms out! I sat down in front of Alice on my bed and she began to work on my hair. She dried it first and then brushed it through, making me feel quite relaxed. However, the evil pixie must have lured me into a false sense of security with her soft brushing because as soon as I relaxed, she began her work. She tied my hair up it a loose, pretty bun before letting bits cascade down the side of my face. She took the curling tongs from Rose and began to curl the loose bits of hair.

"Alice, what are you-"

"Trust me. It will match the outfit," she interrupted, carrying on with my hair. When she was done, it looked beautiful… very Jane Austen really. I looked over to Rose and saw that her hair was full of beautiful blonde curls and her makeup looked amazing. Rosalie's beauty could hurt your eyes sometimes. She was just like a super model.

Alice began to apply my makeup then. She made it very light and very natural. I wasn't used to makeup, so I was glad that she hadn't covered me in the stuff.

"Done!" Alice chimed. "Now, go look at yourself in the mirror whilst I do my own makeup."

I did and I couldn't believe the girl in front of me. It wasn't me, she was far too pretty. Not pretty in a drop dead gorgeous Rosalie kind of way, but someone with a natural beauty. Alice really could work wonders. With everybody's hair and makeup done and with 20 minutes till the party started, Alice decided to give out our costumes.

She handed us each a bag and told us to go get dressed. Rose went to the bathroom, whilst Alice stayed to help me get ready. She took the opportunity to get herself dressed whilst I was busy looking in the mirror, so when I turned around to look at her, I could not help but smile widely at her costume. It was very Alice and she looked awesome. With the short green dress and pretty shoes and wings, she looked just like Tinkerbelle!

"Alice, you look awesome!" I commented.

"I know, right?" she said, giving me a twirl. "Now, let's get your costume on."

She took it out of the bag and I suddenly understood the Jane Austen type hairstyle. The dress was white and beautiful and perfect. I put it on, noticing the high waist band and the flow of the dress. It had short cut sleeves and a square neckline. I looked like something straight from Pride and Prejudice.

"Alice, this is perfect," I said with a huge grin, looking at myself in my full length mirror.

"I saw the book Edward got you for Christmas, so I knew that you would love it. You're Elizabeth Bennett!"

I couldn't quite believe it. I was Elizabeth Bennett! I was so happy and the dress was amazing. _Hang on, if your costume matches Edward's and you're Elizabeth Bennett, then he must be…_

Rose suddenly burst into my room and she looked magical! The tight black leggings, the off-the-shoulder black top, the bright red heels. She looked just like Sandy from 'Grease'.

"Wow, Rose," Alice said, even looking like the pixie she was as she skipped over to her.

"Emmett is going to love this," Rosalie winked. I just blushed, knowing what she was getting at.

"Speaking of Emmett," Alice began. "He and the others are probably waiting downstairs for us. We should get going."

My clock said it was 7.15pm and I couldn't believe how quickly the afternoon had passed us by. I could already hear the music and the people downstairs. The party had begun and I was beginning to get nervous.

"Relax, Bella, you look beautiful," Rose told me. I nodded and we all left my room, heading down the hallway and down the stairs. I made sure to put Edward's bracelet on before I left, knowing that it would set my costume off perfectly. Edward, Jasper and Emmett were waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs, talking amongst each other. Emmett had a huge grin plastered on his face when he spotted us. I noticed that he was wearing a black t-shirt and black leather pants. Boy, did he look like Danny from 'Grease'. He had even done his curly brown hair into a cute quiff! He and Rose matched perfectly. Jasper looked so cute as Peter Pan, with his green costume and hat. I had no idea where Alice had gotten the costumes from, by they looked so good.

My eyes turned to Edward and I think I actually stopped breathing. He _was _Darcy. He looked perfect with his black jacket, white shirt and boots. I didn't know if it was phsically possible, but in that moment, he dazzled me. I had never seen anyone so handsome in my life. _Colin Firth, eat your heart out! _I knew that he definitely wouldn't be shy of female admirers tonight and I wasn't afraid to admit I was jealous about that fact. But I had no hold over him. As much as I loved him, if he wanted another tonight, I would have to let him go to her. We walked down the stairs, meeting the boys at the bottom. Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rose wandered off, but Edward's eyes remained fixed on me, his smile breathtaking.

"You look… so beautiful, Bella," he told me, taking my hand and kissing it. _Oh god, he even acts like Darcy. _I think my sub-conscious just swooned! I blushed at his words.

"Thank you, Edward. And you look very handsome too." _Understatement, he looks HOT!_

"You are positively stunning tonight," he also commented.

He stood up straight, giving me my favorite lopsided grin, his hair still its usual disheveled mess and took my hand, leading me into the kitchen. There were so many people here and everyone was dressed up. Some people I recognized from my classes at school, but some people I didn't recognize at all. Everybody looked brilliant though. I managed to pass a princess, a cat and superman as we made our way to the kitchen. It was all very odd!

"What do you want to drink?" he asked me over the music.

"Erm… just a coke please," I replied. He got my drink whilst I stood next to a scarecrow and policeman having a conversation. The drink was cold and fizzy - just what I needed.

Edward and I stuck together for most of the night, partly because I barely knew anyone, but mostly because I enjoyed his company. We talked together, laughed together, ate together. It was wonderful. He even asked me to dance, but I gladly declined. I could never dance. I would always end up tripping over my own feet and falling flat on my face. My dress wouldn't help me either, it was long and went right down to my feet. I would rather just stand to the side and watch everybody else dance thank you very much! He managed to get one twirl out of me, but that was all he was getting, I just didn't dance.

"Edward!" I heard someone shout. I turned to look and saw that the voice belonged to Ben Cheney, a boy from school. He was standing next to his girlfriend, Angela. They were both dressed as Elvis and Dorothy from 'The Wizard of Oz'. I liked Angela. She had always been really nice to me at school and she gave me a quick wave when she saw me.

"I won't be five minutes," Edward told me. "Will you be ok?"

"Sure," I nodded. "I'll go find Alice or Emmett. Go talk to your friends."

He kissed my hand, turned and went over to Ben whilst I made my way through the crowds to go and find one of the Cullens, my red blush flooding my face. The house was full and very loud. I knew that I would struggle in finding them, but I wouldn't give up.

"Cute costume," someone said to me. Yet, the voice wasn't complementary, it sounded as if it was mocking me. I turned around and came face to face with Lauren and Jessica. _Great!_

"Hi," I said as sweetly as I could. They were both dressed as what could only be described as slutty angels… nice!

"Why are you constantly around Eddy tonight and why did he have his hands all over you just?" Lauren asked me, narrowing her eyes accusingly. She must have seen him dancing with me and holding my hand for most of the night. A feeling of euphoria went through my body then as I thought about those moments, and it was weird but I suddenly I wasn't scared of these girls anymore. Edward wasn't just a friend anymore, I loved him. I wouldn't let her get her paws on him that easily. If I was dressed like Elizabeth Bennett, then I was going to act like Elizabeth Bennett. I was going to stick up for myself!

"Why, jealous?" I tried, full of confidence.

"I thought I told you not to touch him," she said, practically scowling. "He's mine."

"No he's not, Lauren," I said, defending myself. "He's his own person and it's clear he doesn't want someone as vile as you. Besides, it was my hand he was holding after all." I felt smug then. Lauren just let out a humph before walking away in fury, Jessica tagging along behind her like a lost puppy. There, I had done it! I had stood up to the bullies and I felt so much better for it. I finally had them out of my hair. Tonight was going well!

I saw Emmett and Rose through the crowd and so made my way over, feeling happy and confident for once in my life.

"Bella!" Emmett shouted when he saw me, picking me up and twirling me around. "You look awesome."

"Thanks," I replied when he set me back down on my feet. "So do you."

"Well, I wanted to go as King Kong, but Alice and Rose wouldn't let me."

"Emmett, I know you're my monkey man, but King Kong would be going too far," Rosalie commented. I laughed at her statement. Emmett just pouted.

"Bella?!" I heard someone shout me. I turned around and saw Jacob waving at me. I said goodbye to Rose and Emmett before making my way over to him.

"Hi, Jacob," I said, hugging him. He looked so cool dressed as a pirate. He had the baggy pants and a waistcoat and everything. That's when I noticed his hair. "Jake, you've cut your hair. It's short."

"Yeah, it was getting in my way. You look beautiful by the way," he replied with a smile.

"Oh, thank you," I blushed. His comment was sweet. "Are you having fun?"

"Sure am! The Cullen Party's are always awesome. It's even better now that you're here." I giggled at his comment before taking a sip of my drink. "Here, try this," Jake said, handing me his drink. I took a sip of it and nearly choked.

"Jeez, Jake. What the hell is in that?"

"Just vodka. It is a party after all." I knew that we were all definitely too young to drink and so made a note not to take any drinks given to me by Jacob tonight! I took another sip of my own coke, trying to get rid of the taste. Jake continued to drink from his cup. I assumed he wasn't a light weight like me when it came to alcohol.

"Your costume looks so cool!" I commented. He really looked like something straight from a pirate film.

"Thanks! Erm, do you want to dance?" he asked me, holding out his hand. He seemed to be blushing, but I didn't know whether it was from the embarrassment of asking a girl to dance or whether it was the alcohol taking its affect on him. I was worried that it was the latter.

"I don't dance," I told him with an apologetic smile. "I always fall over."

"Well… how about we go for a walk then?" he suggested.

"Sure!" I smiled. I locked eyes with Rose and pointed to the garden as a gesture so that she would know where I would be. She nodded so I knew that she had seen me.

I linked my arm with Jacob's and we began walking through the crowds and out into the back garden. The cold night air felt good in comparison with the warm full house. That many people in one place can create a lot of heat. So even though it was December, the cold felt amazing. There were a lot of people outside. Some were laughing and joking, some were dancing, some were making out and some had come out just to get some air. Jake and I continued walking around the garden in some sort of circle. Even though our arms were linked, he managed to find a way to hold my hand. It didn't feel the same as it did when Edward held my hand, but it still felt nice… in a friendly sort of way.

"So, how was Christmas?" he asked me.

"It was fun," I replied with a smile. "How about you?"

"Yeah, it was good. My sisters came to visit, so that was nice." He took a huge sip of the alcohol. I could smell it, even in the cold air. The vodka smell was strong.

"Should you really be drinking that much alcohol?" I asked him. I didn't like how much he was drinking and how fast he was drinking it.

"Its only my fourth drink, Bella."

"But isn't vodka like… strong?" I was no expert, but I knew that vodka could make you drunk pretty fast.

"I'll be fine," he said, taking another sip. I just let it go. Jacob was a big guy, perhaps he could handle it.

We continued walking around the garden, making idle conversation. We spoke about school, Christmas, everything. He kept making me laugh and his company was nice, if a bit crazy. He kept slurring his words and I was worried that the alcohol was taking affect. I didn't know how to handle a drunken person.

"Perhaps you should slow down on the alcohol, Jake. How about you have some water?"

"You look really pretty tonight, Bella. Did you know that?" he said with a big goofy grin. Yep, he was drunk!

"Thanks, Jake. Come on, lets get you some water," I tried. I began to drag him towards the house but he was too big. In fact, he began to walk in the opposite direction, dragging me instead. I didn't like this. He was drunk and he wasn't listening to me. I considered fetching Emmett, but Jake's grip on my hand was too tight for me to escape.

"No, I mean it," he said, continuing to walk with me. "Really beautiful."

"Jake, you're hurting my hand," I said. He ignored me and we continued walking around the garden. I couldn't get away. With his tight grip and drunken state, I actually felt a little scared. I wanted Edward right now. Jake's grip got tighter.

"I actually think that you're the best looking girl here, Bella," he slurred as we continued to walk.

"Thanks, Jake. But my hand," I tried again.

He ignored me and continued with his complements. He was really hurting me now and I knew that there was no way of getting through to him. I didn't like Jacob when he was like this. He wasn't his normal happy sweet self, I was scared of him. Suddenly, we turned right, leaving the circle of the garden that we had been walking and we started heading down the side of the house by the back gate, out of sight. That's when I began to panic. Why did he want to come down here? He was drunk and I wouldn't be able to handle him. I wanted someone, anyone to come and find us.

"Jake, why are we - "

I didn't have time to finish my sentence because before I knew it, Jacob had pushed me up against the wall and was pressing his body to mine. There was no escape and I whimpered at the sudden pressure.

"Jake, what are you doing?" I whispered to him, my panic fully setting in. I didn't like this one bit. I knew what was coming and I wasn't strong enough to defend myself. What had happened to the Jake who was my friend?

"Come on, Bella. You know I like you. Lets just have a bit of fun." He pressed himself closer to me, bringing his lips to my neck. I gasped at his lips on my skin, not because it was nice but because I was terrified. His hands went to my hips and he brought himself even closer. His lips began leaving trails of kisses across my neck. His breath stank of alcohol.

I just stood there, frozen to the spot, not knowing what to do. I was far too weak to push him off of me and no-one could see us from where we were. I was totally alone and there was nothing I could do. Tears started to build in my eyes at what was happening. I wanted the Jacob who was my friend back, not this drunken guy who was practically attacking me.

"Jake, please stop," I tried, my body beginning to shake in fear. He ignored me and continued to kiss across my neck.

"You know you want this, Bella," he said, snaking his arms around my waist. "Cullen took my girl from me, I'll take his from him. Damn, you smell good."

My eyes widened in shock. He was doing this as payback for Leah having a crush on Edward? It was all over some silly argument from years ago? This was wrong, all wrong. I couldn't stop the tears streaming down my face.

"Jacob, don't do this. Please stop," I said between the tears, hoping to get through to him. It was all to no avail as he continued his assault on my neck. His lips then began leaving trails of kisses across my face. I just wanted him to stop. He was getting closer to my lips.

This was like a nightmare come true. I knew what was going to happen and there was no way of stopping him. He was drunk and there was nothing that I could do, Jacob had full control. His hands left my waist and began moving further up my body, panicking me even more. I never wanted it to happen this way, but it was. I was petrified and I was alone. _I'm sorry, Edward. I'm sorry, mom and dad._

What happened next happened so fast that I didn't have time to register it in my mind. Jacob was suddenly pulled off of me. The cold air felt wonderful against my warm body and I was glad the pressure of Jacob against me was gone. I looked to see what had happened to Jacob, when I saw him against the wall, Edward's hands on his collar, threatening him. I had never seen Edward look so angry in my life. He looked… scary.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he growled at Jake.

"What's the problem, Cullen? Jealous?"

Edward pulled him back and pushed him into the wall again. "Don't you EVER lay another hand on her, do you hear me? NEVER." Edward looked sinister and extremely angry, like he was ready to kill Jacob or something. I had never seen him act this way before. Jake just laughed in his face, making Edward even more angry.

"Get the hell out of my house, Black," he said. "And if I ever see you near her again, I won't be as gentle. Trust me." He let Jacob go, practically throwing him towards the back gate. Jacob walked away, giving me a horrible wink on the way. He wobbled out of the back gate, probably due to the alcohol and walked out into the night. He was finally gone and I let out a sigh of relief. How Edward had found us, I'd never know, but I sure was glad that he had. I turned to look at my savior and he had his fists clenched at his side, obviously trying to calm himself down.

"Edward…," I began.

"Come with me," he quickly said. He grabbed my hand and hurried me into the house. We passed the dancing people, speaking to none of them and headed upstairs. We got to Edward's room and he gestured me in. He followed me, closing the door behind him. He began pacing and running his hand through his hair whilst I just stood there by the door with my fingers interlaced. He was obviously deep in thought and I didn't want to interrupt him. I had a lot to think about myself after all.

I mean, what had just happened?! One minute, Jacob was being so nice and then suddenly he… attacks me. It was horrible and I never wanted to go through it again. What would it mean for our friendship, he was drunk after all. Perhaps it was the alcohol in him talking.

_Bella, he attacked you. Drunk or not, he shouldn't have done that._

Little miss sub-conscious was right. Being drunk was no excuse. He did a terrible thing. Even when I said stop, he didn't, all he thought about was himself. I shuddered at the thought of what could have happened if Edward hadn't have shown up. Edward finally stopped his pacing and turned to face me.

"Are you ok?" he asked me, still running his hands through his hair. I merely nodded, still shaken over what happened. He walked and stood in front of me, putting his hands on my shoulders. "Did he hurt you?"

"No," I said. He hadn't hurt me physically anyway. Mentally, well…

"Are you sure, Bella? You need to tell me if he did."

"I'm fine, Edward," I said softly, gazing into his green orbs. "He just... scared me a little." Edward removed his hands before wrapping his arms around me and embracing me in a hug, holding me to him. I gasped at the suddenness of it but quickly regained my composure, returning the hug and wrapping my arms around his waist. He nuzzled his face into my hair and held me tighter.

He was my savior, my knight in shining armor, my… Mr. Darcy. No-one had ever defended me like that before in my entire life. He was so brave and had refused to back down. I owed Edward everything. I closed my eyes and nuzzled my face into his chest, smelling his perfect scent, relishing in his presence. I had never loved anyone so much as I loved him in this moment.

"I'm so sorry he did that to you, Bella," he whispered to me.

"It's fine. Thank you for finding me, Edward," I whispered into his chest. He held me tighter.

"I can't ever let anybody hurt you," he said. "If someone ever did hurt you, I don't know what I'd do. You mean too much to me."

I had no idea where his words were coming from but they were comforting and warming and set my soul on fire. I nodded against his body, enjoying this more than I should. I slowly pulled away and lifted my head to look at him. His eyes bore into mine. He lifted his hand and cupped my cheek in his hand, caressing the skin with his thumb. I leaned into his touch, loving every moment.

"I will look after you, Bella. You're too important to me to lose and trust me, I won't lose you." His words sounded magical.

"I won't lose you either, Edward," I replied, gazing into his eyes. Our faces were inches apart. His sweet breath fanned my face and I could bask in it forever.

We suddenly heard voices down stairs. "10, 9, 8..."

"Its almost midnight," I whispered to him. He nodded, his eyes still locked with mine.

"7, 6, 5, 4..."

He brought his arm around my back and pulled me closer to him. I brought my hands up and laid them upon his chest, feeling his quick heartbeat through his shirt and jacket. This was it, I knew what was coming. The one thing I wanted the most, the one thing that I craved, the one thing that I had yearned for since I met Edward Cullen.

"3, 2, 1!"

"Happy New Year, Bella," he whispered, bringing his head down to mine.

"Happy New Year, Edward," I whispered back as I closed my eyes and suddenly felt his soft warm lips upon mine.

I wasn't prepared for how this would feel. My entire body set on fire and the butterflies filled my stomach to the brim, not to mention the electricity that shocked my entire body. It wasn't what I expected it would be… it was better. I held myself closer to him, enjoying the movement of his lips against mine. I was scared that I would wake up and it would all be a dream. I fell in love with him even more. This was beyond amazing.

We finally pulled away and he rested his forehead on mine. His eyes remained closed.

"Bella…" he whispered, still caressing my cheek. I couldn't help the smile that appeared on my face. I had just kissed Edward Cullen and it was single handedly the greatest moment of my entire life. I kept as close to him as I could, afraid of losing his touch. I could stay like this forever.

"Edward," I replied.

"You don't know how long I've waited to do that," he replied, finally opening his eyes and looking at me. He chuckled as he spoke.

Hang on… what?! He had been waiting to kiss me? But then that would mean…

"Same," I replied. He kept his arms wrapped around me as he spoke, seemingly pouring his heart out. His voice became serious.

"I- I can't stay away from you anymore, Bella. You have no idea what you do to me."

"Same," I replied again, noticing how stupid I probably sounded giving him the same one-word answer. _Oh, you're so cool, Bella! _I threaded my hand into his hair, loving its soft feel.

"I don't want to stay away from you anymore," he told me. "I want you with me every minute of everyday, I want to wake up to you, to be able to hold you like this without having to worry if it's right or not. I… I love you too much to let you just walk out of here without another word, Bella and I can't hide that anymore."

_Whoa!_

My eyes widened and my whole world stopped as those words left his mouth. That little word, that four-lettered little word just left his mouth. It wasn't just a figment of my imagination getting caught up in the moment. He had said it, he had said the same thing to me that I wanted to say to him. This had to be a dream, this just wasn't real. My luck could never be that good. After everything that had happened in my life, was I actually being allowed this one little piece of heaven?

"You… love me?" I asked, my voice very uncertain. Surely this had to be a joke.

He held my face in both of his strong hands and gave me such a warm smile. "More than anything else on this earth."

… Wow.

He did, he loved me, he actually loved me! He felt the same. I didn't even know if it was possible to be as happy as I was at that moment. This was unbelievable. Only in films and fan-fictions does the guy the girl loves return her feelings. Yet, here I was, standing here in his arms and he was pouring his entire heart and soul out to me. He loved me. The tears of joy fell down my face and nothing could stop them. If I was honest, I didn't want to stop them. I was happy and I wanted to show him that. He gently wiped away the tears and rested his forehead back upon mine. He kept one arm wrapped around me, whilst he took the other and held my hand, interlacing our fingers.

"I… I love you too, Edward," I whispered and as soon as I said it I felt a great weight lifted from my shoulders. It felt so good to get my feelings out in the open and not have to bottle them up and keep them secret. He pulled his head away, opened his eyes and looked at me.

"You're serious, you're not just saying it because I said it, are you?"

"Never," I replied, squeezing his hand in reassurance. "I love you Edward Cullen and I'll never stop loving you."

I didn't have time to gauge his reaction to my statement as his lips suddenly crashed down onto mine in another heart-melting kiss. I could never get bored of this. He wrapped both arms around me as I held his face and brought my other hand to thread through his hair. Whilst the kiss was gentle and soft, there was also an urgency about it too, almost as if we were making up for lost time. Our lips moved perfectly together and I was immediately lost in his touch and warmth. We eventually pulled away, but only for breath. Edward looked at me then with a huge smile.

"I can't believe that this is happening. You look so beautiful tonight, love."

"So do you," I replied. He gently stroked my cheek for what seemed like forever. We didn't need words, we were happy in this comfortable silence, just staring at each other. We had said enough to each other to last a lifetime. We just needed a moment to take each other in.

I let out a deep sigh after a while, knowing that it was midnight and the Cullen's would be looking for us, waiting to wish us a happy New Year. That meant we would have to leave this beautiful haven that was Edward's bedroom and go face the rest of the world.

"We should go," he said, looking as sad as I was. "Alice will no doubt be searching for us."

I nodded at him before he kissed my forehead and held my hand, leading me out the door and finally down the stairs. Tinkerbelle immediately collided with us.

"Happy New Year, guys!" Alice squealed embracing us both in a hug. She was practically bouncing.

"Happy New Year, pixie," Edward said to his sister. I was quickly pulled away from Alice and Edward as Emmett gave me a big bear hug, which I returned. I laughed with him as he let me go, happy to share the New Year with them all. Everybody had smiles on their faces, though I had a feeling the reason for their smiles was a little different to mine.

The party ended shortly after that and people slowly started to leave, making their way home. Everybody commented to each other on how much they had enjoyed the party and I knew then that it had been a success. The party was fun and it had definitely changed my life for the better! We made sure to see all of our guests out and Edward winked at me at every chance he got. The confession of his love didn't stop my blush from appearing.

_Oh, you love it!_

I did! And now I wasn't afraid to admit it.

"Well," Emmett called out once all the guests had left, picking Rosalie up bridal style. "I'm going to call it a night. We'll clean up tomorrow." I giggled when Rosalie let out a scream when Emmett surprised her. He really did amuse me.

We all seemed to agree with that and so said our good nights to each other before going upstairs to bed. As I closed my bedroom door behind me and leaned back on it, I could not help the girly giggles that escaped my mouth. I still couldn't get his oh so perfect words out of my head.

"_I love you, Bella. More than anything else on this earth."_

I had goose bumps all over my body just thinking about it. He was too perfect for me and I still couldn't believe it was real! I quickly got out of my beautiful dress, hanging it up in my wardrobe before getting my pajamas on. I let my hair down then and it fell around my face in pretty, loose curls. I liked my hair like this! I was about to jump into bed when I heard knocking on my door. I quickly turned around and opened the door, coming face to face with his emerald green eyes. His lop sided grin was already on his lips.

"What are you doing here?" I smiled, over-the-moon that he was standing there.

"Well, you didn't think I was going to tell you my feelings then just leave you, did you?" Edward replied sweetly.

I grinned at his words and moved aside to let him in. He was in pajama bottoms and a loose wife beater, his hair it's usual disheveled mess. It should be illegal to look that good! As soon as I closed the door behind him and turned around, he pulled me in for a sweet chaste kiss.

"A girl could get used to that," I smirked as I pulled away.

"So could I," he grinned, the sight of his beautiful smile almost making my legs turn to jelly!

He took my hand and we walked over to my bed, pulling back the covers and getting in. We lay on our sides and he pulled me to him so that my back was touching his chest, the two of us spooning. He wrapped his arms around me, keeping me nice and warm and safe. I was still waiting to wake up from this dream!

_Believe it, Bella. It's real!_

_It is, isn't it?!_

I snuggled into the pillows as he made sure I had enough quilt covering me. When he was satisfied, he snuggled down too, holding me even tighter. His hands came around my front and I held onto them as I closed my eyes, lacing my fingers with his.

"Edward?" I whispered to him, the events of the night catching up on me and making me very tired.

"Yes, love?" he replied.

"I love you," I smiled.

"I love you too. More than you can ever know," he replied. He lifted his head and kissed my cheek before we both settled down and fell into a restful sleep together.


	16. Undisclosed desires

_Hi everyone!_

_Thanks to pizza003, Tommygrl1997, lionlambnatz, HealThisHeartbreak, edward cullen loves me 4ever, chst, HyperBaseballGirl, britbrat35892587, LargeMarge, Cullen0-Lover-101, secretobsession7, lovedoves, Adrianna1120, sprinter1, Caitlin S., WilD TeeNTaLker, miscymist78, lilmaher, an un-named reviewer, mindreadingweirdo, twilightluver39, edwardlover213 and cnelson for their reviews. Thanks guys, lets keep it up!_

_I'm glad that you all liked the last chapter. It was my favorite one so far! I also just want to clarify that personally, I really like Jacob. I think he is great, but I needed him to be bad for this story. I'm not sure whether to make him friends with Bella again. What do you guys think?_

_This chapter is named after 'Undisclosed Desires' by Muse. This song is awesome, I love it. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but you all knew that already, right?_

* * *

Edward Cullen's Point of View

Life is never perfect.

It never can be perfect. No matter how hard you try to make it perfect, something will always get in the way. That certain something can be big or it can be small, but it will always ruin the perfection that you crave for so much. It can be something huge, like money worries, depression, death. It can be something small, like homework, a paper cut, missing a bus. No matter which way you look at it, life never can be perfect, no matter how hard you try to make it so.

But certain aspects of your life can be perfect. A straight 'A' student, a happy family life, good health. It's not all doom and gloom, you can find the good things too. And when you find those perfect aspects, you hold on to them as tightly as you can, too afraid to let them go incase they become imperfect. You crave those things, protect them, make sure that nothing ruins them. It's part of human nature.

I never thought I would, but I've found the most perfect aspect in my life, that one thing that I will fight to protect, the one thing that I crave, the one thing that I will never lose for as long as I live. When you find that aspect, you keep it for life and never let it go. Your whole being centers around it. It's strange and odd, but at the same time, it makes perfect sense. This perfect aspect becomes your entire life.

I looked down at the most perfect thing in my life and watched her as she lay there next to me, her chest rising and falling in sleep, her eyes closed in the most happy and content way. Yes, I had found my perfect aspect. The sun filtered into her room through the window and lit up her perfect form, her perfect face, her perfect skin. Its odd how the appearance of a single person, showing up when you least expect it, can change your whole outlook on life and take it down a completely different path. Bella had done that to me.

Before she came along, nothing really mattered to me. I used to get up, go to school, go to orchestra practice, eat dinner, then go to bed. Same routine, day in, day out. Nothing really appealed to me. I just lived my life in my own little world. On some days I would visit the meadow, but that was as exciting as it ever got. It was nothing special and I sort of just lived. There really was nothing amazing in it at all.

Then she arrived and totally threw my world upside down, changing it completely. I no longer lived the boring routine that I had lived for the past 18 years. Now I looked forward to school, I looked forward to coming home. I even enjoyed the simplest things in life now, like a simple walk. Bella had changed me for the better and I owed her everything. I now had something to live for, or should I say someone. My life wasn't boring and stale anymore, it was exciting and unpredictable and gave me a new surprise each day. I enjoyed life now, especially since I was now enjoying it and sharing it with my Bella.

She suddenly turned over in the bed so that she was facing me. She let out a deep sigh and continued to sleep, nothing in the world worrying her. I just stared at her, taking her in, gazing at her beautiful sleeping face, memorizing it forever. A strand of her wavy brown hair fell onto her forehead as she turned, so with careful fingers, I pulled it back and put it behind her ear. She looked so content when she slept, so innocent and pure. I liked to watch her sleep, it fascinated me. I loved her so much.

I took a quick glance at her clock and noticed that it was 6.45am. I wasn't sure what time she would be awake, since we had been partying all night. I would let her continue to sleep though. I wouldn't dream of waking her up.

My mind wandered back to last night's party and I couldn't quite believe how much it had changed my life. I knew that I couldn't resist her anymore; she had to know my feelings. I was keeping them bottled up and had done so for so long. I was dying to let them out and tell her how I felt. When she walked down the stairs in that beautiful white dress, looking like an angel, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to tell her as soon as possible, my feelings had to be let out, she had to know. I stayed with her all night, touching her skin at any chance I could, craving that electric sensation that appeared when I did, I talked with her and just enjoying her company in general. She was one of those people that I just couldn't ever get bored around.

But when I went to find her later that night and found Jacob Black practically forcing himself on her, I just saw red. No-one does that to my Bella. She's an angel and deserves to be treated with the utmost respect, not treated like some random girl at a party. I was seething when I threw him off of her and threatened him to stay away. I didn't care if I was being rough, he deserved it. I had never hated someone so much in my life than I did in that moment. If I could, I would have killed him, especially when I saw the fear in Bella's eyes after he had left. I had to make sure she was alright and I knew that all the people at the party would just get in the way. So I took her to my room, I knew it would be quiet there.

As I thought back to what he did, I knew that I had to tell her, to let her know that not everybody is like that, that someone does love her. I poured my heart out to her and just held her in my arms, showing her my feelings without actually saying anything to her. In that moment, she just needed to be loved. Yet, when her soft lips touched mine, my life suddenly became complete and I knew that from then on, it would completely focus on the amazing girl in my arms. We just seemed to fit together, like two pieces of a puzzle, destined to be together forever. Her kiss was amazing, so warm and gentle and caring. I knew that it was the perfect time to tell her of my feelings, so I did. I told her I loved her with all my heart and I felt totally euphoric when she told me that she felt the same. At first I couldn't quite believe it, but her words clarified it for me. My beautiful Bella loved me too.

I was officially the happiest man on earth. In fact, scratch that. I was the happiest man in the _universe_!

Bella began to stir in the bed then, making the cutest little noises and started to open her big brown eyes. She stretched before resting back onto the bed. Her eyes quickly fluttered to mine and a smile appeared on her lips. She looked so happy.

"Good morning," I whispered to her.

She turned onto her side so that she was facing me. "Good morning."

"Did you sleep well?" I asked her.

She nodded. "You?"

"The best nights sleep I've ever had," I replied, causing her to giggle. It was like music to my ears.

After her giggles dies down, we just lay there in silence, facing each other, looking at each other. I found that Bella and I had been doing that a lot over the weeks, but I loved it. Words weren't needed, all we needed was each other and that's all that mattered. Slowly but surely, I leaned over to her and placed a soft gentle kiss upon her lips. I loved kissing her. It was one of those things that I would never get bored of and each kiss was better than the last. I slowly pulled away and looked at her smiling face.

"I can't believe it," she said to me.

"Can't believe what?" I asked her, slightly confused by her statement.

"It's not a dream. It's actually happening."

I couldn't help but chuckle at her. "Believe me, love. It's real."

She gave me a warm smile, but I noticed that it quickly faded. "It's still so unreal to me though," she said, dropping her head and eyes a little.

"What do you mean?" I asked, putting my fingers under her chin and lifting her head back up to look at me.

"It's just... I mean... you're Edward Cullen! You're one of the most popular guys in Forks. All the girls want you, all the guys want to be you. You can have anyone you want, why would you settle for someone as plain as me?" She really seemed distracted by these thoughts. I would never want another, I would only ever want Bella.

I caressed her cheek with my fingers. "Bella, how can you think of yourself that way?"

"I don't know," she blushed. God, how I loved that blush. "Why not be with someone like…. Lauren Mallory?"

I chuckled. "Because I don't love Lauren Mallory. She's not beautiful, she's not funny, she's not kind and I don't want to spend every living moment with her." It was true. The only person who I wanted to spend eternity with was lying beside me.

"I suppose," she said, not at all confident. I couldn't believe that she didn't have any confidence in herself. "Its just, I'm nothing special, Edward."

I gently kissed the tip of her nose. "Do you love me, Bella?"

She looked straight into my eyes. "Of course I do. You're my world, Edward." Her words made my heart pound in my chest and swell with joy. Her words portrayed her feelings beautifully. I seriously could not get enough of this girl.

"And I love you. I love you for your precious innocence, for your wonderful mind, for your beautiful face, for your kind heart. Can't you understand that? I don't love anyone else, only you. You are my life, Bella."

She happily nodded then and shuffled closer to me, wrapping her arms around my body and resting her head upon my chest. I held her in my arms, protecting her like never before. "I can understand that, Edward. Thank you."

I began to stroke her hair as we lay there. The sun was still filtering through the window and covering us. It was good to see the sun in Forks for once. The good weather reflected my good attitude perfectly. Perhaps it was reflecting the wonderful new start in my life that I was about to take… that Bella and I would take together.

"So," Bella said, breaking the silence. She tilted her head up and looked at me. "Where does this leave us?"

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"I mean, does this make you my… boyfriend?" Nothing she did could hide her blush as she said those words. It was adorable.

"Do you want me to be your boyfriend, love?" I chuckled.

She bit her lips and nodded. "Uh-huh."

I pulled her up so that her face was level with mine. "Then yes, I'm your boyfriend." She let out a musical giggle before I bent my head down and kissed her. She threaded her hands through my hair, allowing me to deepen the kiss. Our lips moved together in perfect synchronicity, almost as if Bella and I were destined to be together something, like she was made purely for me. I loved it.

She slowly pulled away. "And I'm your girlfriend."

"Sounds perfect to me," I commented. She gave me a smile before laying her head back down upon my chest. Her fingers gently stroked my arm and it immediately relaxed me. As I lay with her like this, I felt myself getting slowly tired again and I felt that I was ready to sleep. I avoided closing my eyes. I felt so content and happy here with my Bella that I knew I would drift off if I did.

"Do you think Alice will approve?" Bella suddenly perked up.

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"Of us. Do think she will be happy about us?"

The happy smile that had been tattooed onto my lips suddenly dropped at her question. This was something that I wanted to avoid, but I knew there was no escape from. There was no way out of this, she had to know.

"Alice can't know about us, no-one can."

She lifted her head then, looking at me, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean, Edward?"

I sat up then, leaning back on the wall at the head of the bed. Bella sat up with me, wrapping the quilt around her. I let out a deep sigh. "We have to keep us a secret."

"What? But I don't want to," she whined as she scuttled closer to me. Her confusion turned to sadness.

"I don't either, love, but we have to."

"Why?"

"It's my parents. They are happy enough for me and my siblings to become friends with the witnesses, but we aren't supposed to get any closer. They say that the witness will leave eventually and they don't want us to get hurt by getting too close."

"Oh," was all Bella said. I felt the same. I wanted to shout it from the rooftops that I was in love with Isabella Swan, but I wasn't allowed. I had done what I wasn't supposed to do by falling in love with her anyway, I shouldn't make it worse. But I wouldn't change it for the world. I had found my soul mate in Bella and nothing would ever change that. I pulled her onto my lap and stroked her back soothingly.

"But that doesn't change anything. I still want to be with you, love."

She nodded. "Me too. If have to… hide what we are, then so be it. As long as we can be together."

"Then that's what we'll do," I said, holding her to me. She rested her head on my shoulder as I put my cheek on top of her head. I twisted a strand of her hair around my finger. "Perhaps, we could talk to Alice. I know that she would keep us a secret."

She nodded against my shoulder and I just held her tighter. "Ok."

"Speaking of Alice, I have a feeling my little sister is going to start organizing the clean up crew any second now," I said.

"Do we have to clean up?" Bella moaned.

"I'm afraid so, love," I chuckled. I wasn't looking forward to it anymore than she was. I knew that the house was going to be a mess. "Shall we go and assess the damage?"

She let out a deep sigh. "Ok."

I gave her a quick loving kiss before I pulled the covers off of us and we got out of bed. I took her hand and we left her room, walking down the hallway as quietly as possible and we finally walked down the stairs. We both froze when we saw the state of the house.

"Oh my god," Bella said.

"Not good," I commented. The house was a mess! Cups and plates everywhere, decorations all over the place, ornaments had been moved and the couch cushions were missing. The rug was turned up and the place looked awful.

"This does not look good," Bella said, turning to look at me.

"Mom and dad are going to flip," I replied to her, my eyes still taking in the mess that was the living room. "I don't even want to see the kitchen or the garden."

"OH MY GOD! What happened here?" came a girly squeal from behind us. Both Bella and I turned around and came face to face with a very shocked Alice and Jasper. I knew exactly how they felt. This was going to take all day to clean, even with the six of us.

"Jasper," I said. "Go wake up Emmett and Rosalie. I think we need as much help as we can get." He hurried up the stairs and I knew that my brother would hate being woken up this early. But the house needed to be cleaned up… fast!

I heard Emmett moaning, no doubt not wanting to get up. Jasper quickly descended the stairs again, my brother and Rosalie in tow. Emmett was rubbing the sleep from his tired eyes and yawned with his mouth wide open.

"Do you guys have any idea what time it is? I mean… whoa!" He quickly noticed the state of the house and his expression quickly changed to one similar to my own.

"Yeah, whoa," Alice said to him. Her face looked a little panicked. This was going to be a major clear up operation.

"When do your mom and dad come home?" Rosalie enquired.

"Tonight," I replied. We only had today to sort out the mess. I was hoping to spend the day with Bella, but there was no chance of that happening any time soon. Cleaning came first right now.

"Ok," Alice suddenly perked up. "Lets organize this. Edward, you and Jazzy clean the living room."

"Ha, you guys get the tough job!" Emmett laughed. I wasn't in the mood for his teasing right now.

"Emmett, you clean the garden," Alice ordered. It was mine and Jasper's turn to laugh now. Emmett just pouted in a sulk. The garden would be tough to clean.

"Bella, you clean the foyer and Rosalie and I will clean the kitchen. Trash bags and cleaning products are in the laundry room. Lets go folks!" Alice finished. She was like some kind of General leading her troupes or something. It was quite funny to watch Alice bossing around the likes of Emmett since she was so small and Emmett was at least 2 feet taller. We all nodded at her and began on our work, not even bothering to get changed from our pajamas. We didn't want to waste any time!

Jasper and I got straight to work on the living room. I collected all of the empty cups and plates, putting them into a trash bag before putting them outside for collection. Jasper started vacuuming whilst I went on a man hunt for the couch cushions. I was confused when I found them in the bathtub. I didn't ask any questions, I just sort of accepted it and put them back where they belonged.

I could see Emmett in the back garden and saw that he was working hard too and doing pretty much the same jobs Jasper and I had done - collecting rubbish and just tidying in general. Alice and Rosalie remained in the kitchen all day, scrubbing and working hard. If I knew Alice, the kitchen would be spotless by the end of the day. I looked over to the foyer and saw my Bella working hard. She was collecting things and putting them in trash bags, just like I had. She had her tongue sticking out in concentration, she looked so adorable.

"Alice," I suddenly called, noticing a distinct lack of something. "We've run out of trash bags."

"I know," the pixie shouted back from the kitchen. "I've sent Rose to the store to fetch some more."

I went into the kitchen, searching for the polish in the hope of cleaning the coffee table and found it in my sister's hands. "Alice, can I have the polish?"

"Sure!" she chimed, handing me what I wanted. She searched the kitchen for a duster for me. She decided to make small talk with me whilst she searched. "So, how was your kiss with Bella last night?"

I froze.

My eyes widened at her question. How could she have possibly known that? Had she seen us? She couldn't have. We were in my room and the door was definitely closed. And there was no way she could have heard us talking over the loud music. I was totally baffled at her accusation. For mine and Bella's sake, I tried to play ignorance.

"What are you talking about? I didn't kiss Bella."

She turned to face me and put her hands on her hips. "Come on, Edward, I'm not an idiot. You two disappear upstairs at midnight for ages, then come back down with huge smiles on your faces. You definitely kissed her."

Damn, that pixie was good! I hated how she could do that. She was more perceptive than I thought she was. There was no way I could hide it now, she knew. No matter how hard I tried, she would see through my obvious denial. She would get it out of me eventually anyway.

"So, was it good?" she pressed.

I slowly smiled. "Yeah, it was."

She began squealing then, jumping up and down on the spot, clapping her hands. "Oh my god! I am so happy for you… I knew this would happen… you two are so perfect for each other… when's the wedding?… can I plan it?…"

"Jeez, Alice. Calm down," I said, putting my hands on her shoulders to stop her from jumping. She was rambling too much and was getting way too excited.

"Why? This is great. You are together now, aren't you?"

I nodded, not hiding my happy smile. "But you can't tell anyone."

"Tell anyone what?" a sweet voice came from behind us. I turned to see my Bella standing there, confusion etched onto her face. Alice suddenly ran towards her and embraced her in a huge hug. It took Bella by surprise.

"Oh, Bella. I am so happy for you," Alice squealed. She seemed more excited than Bella or I was.

"About what?" Bella asked, pulling Alice away.

"You and Edward of course!"

"Uh, nothing is happening between me and Edward," she said uncomfortably, placing a fake smile on her face. She too was trying to feign ignorance.

"It's fine, love. She knows about us. She sort of… guessed."

"Awww, you called her 'love'. How sweet!" Alice sang.

I walked over to Bella and wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her to me. Her warmth drew me to her, as did her scent. I could never get bored of Bella Swan. "You have to keep us secret, Alice." Bella warned my sister.

"I will, I will. But can I tell Jazzy? Please?" She was giving me those damn puppy dog eyes again. She knew that if she gave me them, I would easily cave and let her get her way. _God, that pixie is good! _Bella looked up at me questioningly, and I nodded my head at her.

"Yes, you can tell Jasper. As long as he doesn't say anything," Bella said to my sister.

"Yay!" Alice jumped before running into the living room to tell him.

I trusted Jasper. He had been my best friend since Kindergarten and we had never kept secrets from each other before. We told each other everything. I knew that if I could trust someone with this, it would be him. He had never steered me wrong before.

Bella turned in my arms, wrapped her arms around my waist and placed her head upon my chest. In turn, I wrapped my arms around her and rested my head on top of hers. She let out a deep sigh of contentment. "Are you ok with her knowing?" I asked her.

"Yes," she replied. "But will she keep it a secret?"

"I know my sister can be loud and excitable at times, but she would never give away a secret. I trust her."

Bella nodded against my chest. "Me too."

Reluctantly, I let her go, kissing her forehead on the way. "Come on, love. My parents will be back in a few hours and the house won't clean itself." She pouted an adorable pout, obviously not wanting to continue with the work. "Don't worry, the quicker we clean, the quicker we can be together."

She nodded then, lacing her fingers with mine. "I hate cleaning."


	17. Sweet dreams

_Good morning/afternoon/evening/night!_

_Thank you to pizza003, CetaBabe, WilD TeeNTaLker, lionlambnatz, lilmaher, HealThisHeartbreak, Adrianna1120, TeamEdward76, Caitlin S., lovedoves, mindreadingweirdo, miscymist78, Cullen0-Lover-101, cnelson, edwardlover213, MissSpiderFish, gaby47, sprinter1, secretobsession7, twilightluver39, twinkletwi, LyndsBaby and Tommygrl1997 for their reviews. Thank you all so much. I read each and every one of them and they really do make me smile!_

_I'm taking my cousin to see New Moon on Sunday, so I will have seen it 3 times. Oh whatever shall I do!!!!! *does a huge happy dance!!!*_

_I listened to the New Moon soundtrack a lot whilst writing this one. It is literally awesome, if you haven't already done so, go buy it!_

_Also, I'm not sure whether to make Bella and Jacob friends again. I can incorporate it into the story either way, so I want to know what you guys think. To be friends or not to be friends! Let me know._

_This chapter is named after 'Sweet Dreams' by Beyonce, who I absolutely adore. I think she is amazing and awesome :D_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. I would be a damn site richer if I did!_

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

It was 6.30pm when we finally had the house cleaned up and looking somewhat suitable for when Esme and Carlisle returned. We had a grand total of 5 trash bags and 2 carrier bags full of rubbish. How we had managed to make that much mess, I'd never know, but the bags were outside, ready for collection at the nearest time. The kitchen was scrubbed, the living room vacuumed and the foyer and garden in check. With the last bit of rubbish finally picked up and thrown away, we were officially done!

All six of us collapsed in the living room on the sofa and loveseat and there was a huge sigh of relief flooding the house from us. It had taken literally all day, but we had finished and the house looked pretty good. There were no signs what so ever that a party had taken place only the night before. We had been working so hard, that none of us had bothered changing into day clothes and the six of us were wearing our pajamas. This was fine, apart from the fact the Edward had therefore sported sexy bed hair for the whole day. It was very distracting when you are trying to get a house cleaned at the speed of light!

The house phone suddenly rang as we all lay there, filling the silence that was in the room. Since Edward was closest to it, he picked it up on the third ring.

"Hello?" came his wonderful voice. He suddenly sat up straight at the voice on the other end.

"Who is it?" asked a very curious Alice. Edward ignored her and continued talking on the phone.

"Yes… ok… ok. Alright. Bye," he said before he hung up.

"Who was that?" Alice whined again.

"Mom and dad," spoke Edward. "They will be home in an hour."

"I guess we cleaned up just in time then, huh?" Emmett smiled. Everybody nodded, too tired to form an actual response. I couldn't have agreed with him more. Sure, the work was tedious and horrible, but we had done it in perfect time and I was glad to finally rest at the end of a long day.

It really had been a long day. I could not believe how much mess had been made. Was the party really that rowdy and out of hand? We had worked so hard in fact, that none of us had eaten today. We managed a few cookies each at lunch, but we were too busy to cook a real meal. Plus, Alice refused to let us make a mess in her freshly cleaned kitchen, claiming she hadn't done all that work just for us to mess it all up again. Emmett's rumbling stomach indicated to us that food was definitely needed after all the work we had done.

"I'm so hungry!" Emmett whined, rubbing his tummy.

"I know," Rosalie said, rolling her eyes. "We heard."

"Well, I'm not letting you mess up my kitchen," Alice said, folding her arms across her chest in protest.

"Alice, we need to eat," argued Edward.

"I understand that, but do you know how long it took me to clean those kitchen surfaces?"

"I need to eat or else I'm going to die," moaned Emmett. I could not help but giggle at his outburst. It was true. Emmett was so big he probably needed food at least every two hours! Edward looked over at me at the sound of my giggles and gave me my favorite lop sided grin.

_Holy crow!_

I think my sub-conscious began blushing more than I did.

"Well, we need to eat, Alice," said Edward, averting his gaze to her.

"Will you guys stop arguing and just get me some god damn food!" Emmett suddenly interrupted. His stomach rumbled again as he sat up. Rosalie rubbed his shoulders soothingly. She must have known how badly Emmett worked without food.

"Well," I suddenly said, sitting up. "We could order pizza or something. That way we wouldn't need to make any mess by cooking."

All their eyes looked at me before smiles appeared on their faces.

"Good idea, Bella," Jasper said. Alice nodded before running over to grab the phone. Once we all told her what we wanted, and much to Emmett's relief, Alice called the pizza place and ordered our food. Pizza would definitely be a worthy prize for all that we had done today.

The pizza didn't take long to arrive and as soon as Edward paid the delivery guy, we all tucked into the food, practically eating like animals due to how hungry we were. After 5 minutes, Emmett's pizza had gone.

"Jeez, Emmett. Did you even chew that?" Edward laughed. Emmett shook his head before reaching over and grabbing a slice from Rosalie. She tapped his hand and knocked it away, obviously not wanting to give away any food. Emmett just folded his arms and decided to sulk.

"You can have some of mine, Emmett," I said.

He suddenly perked up. "Why, thank you, Bella!" he smiled as he took the slice from me. He bobbed his tongue out at Rose before she slapped him around the back of the head. None of us could hold in the laughs and the giggles.

After a while, everyone finally finished their food. Everybody was well fed and Alice was happy that her kitchen had remained unscathed. Everybody relaxed and put the TV on, ready and waiting for Esme and Carlisle's return.

"Damn, that was good pizza," Emmett smiled.

"Sure was," Edward said, everybody agreeing with him. Suddenly he stood up "I'll clean up the mess." His eyes turned to look at me. "Bella, will you help me?"

He gave me a wink and I knew then that I could not resist following. "Sure."

I got up and we both made our way into the kitchen, carrying the empty pizza boxes. Alice gave us a knowing wink as we left, but Edward just rolled his eyes and ignored her. That little pixie was a tease! We entered the kitchen and put the empty pizza boxes in the bin. I was concerned that we were filling yet another bin with lots of trash, but eventually I thought nothing of it. I went over to the sink to wash my greasy hands when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me from behind. It sent butterflies through my stomach as he lay his head on my shoulder.

"Can I help you?" I smiled, rinsing the soap from my hands.

"What? Can't I show my girlfriend how much I love her?" Edward joked. Boy, that would never get boring, I could hear him say that all day long! He nuzzled his face into my shoulder and began to kiss the side of my neck. I giggled at his touch before reaching over for the towel and drying my hands. Once my hands were dry, I turned in his arms, stood on my tip toes and kissed his lips.

"Or we could just do this," he smiled against my lips.

"I'm just showing my boyfriend how much I love him," I teased.

"You can show me all you like. Believe me, I'm not going to stop you!" he smiled. I smiled too as I threaded my hands through his soft bronze hair. He lowered his head and deepened the kiss, sending shivers down my spine. Our lips moved in perfect sync and his arms wrapped tighter around my waist as I thought of doing this all day. Just me and Edward, holding hands, kissing, telling everyone how we felt without fear of being judged. The two of us just being… together.

Yet, as I heard the front door open and felt Edward reluctantly let me go so as to avoidbeing spotted, I knew that my wish wouldn't come true. Our relationship could never be shown, we would have to keep it a secret. But if that was the way it had to be, then so be it. Nothing would ever make me let go of Edward, I loved him too much to leave him. I needed him, I craved him, I was addicted to him. If this was the way we had to be, then we would remain secret. All I knew was that we would be together, no matter the circumstances.

"I love you," he whispered to me as he let me go before going to greet his parents. I let out a deep sigh, knowing that this was how it was going to be as I headed over to see Esme and Carlisle too.

"Hey, kids," Carlisle smiled as he and Esme walked through the door and shut it behind them.

"Daddy!" Alice exclaimed, as she ran from the sofa and gave her father a hug. She really must have missed her parents.

"Hey, Ali. You ok?" Carlisle said, dropping their bags on the floor. Alice nodded.

"How did the party go?" Esme asked as Carlisle helped her take her jacket off.

"It was fantastic," Edward said. "The best one yet." I couldn't help but grin at the double meaning to his words. It was the best party I had ever been to as well.

_You're damn right it was the best party you have ever been to!_

"And look," Emmett said, finally greeting his parents and gesturing around the house. "No mess!"

"How is Aunty Carmen and Uncle Eleazar?" Alice said.

"They're fine. They say hi," Esme replied, hanging up her jacket.

With Carlisle and Esme finally home, and with all of their bags unpacked, we all settled down in front of the TV.

"So, how was everyone's new year?" Esme asked us and she curled up with Carlisle on the loveseat. Alice curled up with Jasper and Emmett curled up with Rosalie, but all I could do was sit next to Edward, curled up by myself. All I wanted to do was wrap my arms around him, or lay my head upon his chest. Anything, just as long as I could show the world that I loved him.

"It was great!" Alice chimed. "We all looked so good in our costumes."

"And the mess wasn't that bad, honest," Emmett quickly interjected. I smiled to myself.

"How about you, Bella?" Esme asked, giving me a loving smile.

I nodded. "Yeah, it was really fun. I really enjoyed it."

Esme seemed satisfied with my answer and we all turned back to watch the TV. I shivered slightly when I felt Edward run the back of his hand up and down my arm. He was doing it lightly and out of view of his parents, but that didn't mean it felt any less good. It felt wonderful. I saw the grin on his lips when he saw my shiver and I knew that he was smug at the fact he could do that to me. However, I wasn't going to stop him. I was enjoying this just as much as he was.

"Why is there a stain on the couch cushion?" Carlisle suddenly asked. We all froze.

"Hey, that was nothing to do with me," Emmett said, raising his hands in surrender. "Edward and Jasper were cleaning the living room."

Esme just shook her head. "I'll clean it tomorrow."

We all visibly relaxed after that, happy that we would not be punished for practically wrecking the house.

_Hey, the foyer is spotless. We did our job!_

My sub-conscious had her arms folded and was standing her ground. She was right, I had done a pretty good job and the foyer looked great!

Everyone began yawning after that, partly because it was late, but I had a feeling that it was mainly due to how hard we had all been working all day. Carlisle turned the TV off and we all wearily made our way up to bed, saying goodnight along the way. I was a bit sad when Edward and I had to retire to our own rooms, but Esme and Carlisle were still awake and they would definitely get suspicious if Edward and I went to the same room. It was for the best and I entered my room feeling a little disappointed.

_A little disappointed?_

Ok, a LOT disappointed!

I put my pajamas on, turned off my lamp and settled into bed, ready for a good nights sleep.

I wasn't fully asleep when I heard my phone beep. I sat up and saw that I had received a text from Edward.

**Are you awake? Come to my room. Love you X X**

My sub-conscious began doing back flips at the text and my disappointment quickly died away, only to be replaced with excitement. I was going to see Edward after all! After having to keep my distance for the whole day, I was really looking forward to seeing him. I quickly got out of bed, before quietly making my way to his room. I opened his door slowly and noticed that it was dark. I could make out the outline of his bed though. I saw that he was lying down.

"I see you got my text." From the sound of his voice, I could tell he was smiling. I nodded, even though he wouldn't see it in the dark and practically ran to his bed. I got in as soon as I reached it and curled up to him, nuzzling my head into his chest, breathing in his heady scent, just wanting to be near him. I felt his body shake in laughter.

"Did you miss me that much tonight, love?"

I just nodded against his chest, closing my eyes. I had missed him, especially since there was no way of showing any affection towards each other. This was only made worse by the three other couples that occupied the living room.

"I always miss you when I'm not with you," I told him.

"I miss you too," he replied, wrapping his arms around me, keeping me safe and warm. He kissed my forehead. "Goodnight, love."

"Goodnight, Edward," I smiled as I drifted off into a wonderful sleep with him.

I wasn't sure how long I had been asleep, but it's wonderfulness soon came to an end...

"_Bella, run," my mother whispered in my ear, but I refused to move. How could I leave my family? We were being threatened and we had to stick together. I shook my head. No._

_I grabbed my mother's hand and prayed silently in my head that we would be ok. We had to be. We were a happy family. Nothing should tare us apart._

_That's when the guy with the blonde hair pulled my mother away from me._

_She looked so frightened and she began to shake and there was nothing me or my dad could do. _

"_Do it, James," the dark skinned man said to his friend. James had a sinister grin on his lips. My eyes widened. Next thing I knew, he pulled out a gun, held it to her beautiful head and pulled the trigger._

I screamed.

"Bella?!" I heard a voice calling me, waking me from my nightmare. His perfect voice was just what I wanted to hear right now. I carefully opened my eyes and saw Edward looking down at me. His face looked so frightened and concerned. I was breathing heavy and I could feel tears in my eyes. "You were having a nightmare. Are you ok?"

I sat up along with him then and shook my head as the tears began to fall. "No."

He pulled me into his lap then and held me whilst I cried, shushing me and comforting me. Why couldn't I get rid of these damn dreams? Why did they come and torment me night after night? Why wouldn't they just go away? It was killing me to watch my mother die each and every night and not be able to do anything about it. I wanted to forget about that moment, it hurt too much to recall. Obviously, my dreams had other ideas. Was I destined to see it every night for the rest of my life? I just wanted it to end.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Edward whispered to me once I had calmed down a little. Perhaps speaking about it would help to get rid of the nightmares. It was a long shot but talking about her death to Edward seemed to help me a little last time. Perhaps speaking about it would help me now.

"I- It's my mom," I said as the sobs shook my body.

He suddenly held me tighter. "What about her?"

I lifted my hand and wiped away the tears that had now finally stopped. "I just… I keep seeing her die."

"In your dreams?" he asked, pulling away a little so that he could look into my eyes. I nodded, trying to forget my nightmare. It was very hard to do considering how many times I had dreamt it. "I'm so sorry, Bella."

"I just can't seem to get rid of the nightmares," I said solemnly.

"How long have you been having them?" he asked.

"A few months now," I told him.

He shook his head. "I'm so sorry." He rubbed my back soothingly and it really began to help. Just knowing that he was there for me, just as he said he would be, was all I could ask for. He had kept to his promise and I think I fell that little bit more in love with him.

"I just keep reliving that moment. I keep seeing that blonde guy pull the trigger and then..."

"That must be awful."

"Uh-huh. The guy, James, he even had a smug grin on his face as he did it, almost as if it was a game to him."

"Sick bastard," Edward growled.

"But the police said the Volturi are hard to track. They have done this sort of thing before, so…"

Edward suddenly froze and went very rigid. I looked at his face and saw that his jaw was set and his eyes had widened. I had no idea what was wrong with him, but I didn't like it. He looked pained.

"Edward…"

"What did you just say?" he asked me, trying to keep his voice down.

"The police said it would be hard to-"

"No, after that," he interrupted.

"I said… the… Volturi."

"The Volturi murdered your mother?"

"Yes." What was wrong with him? He closed his eyes and began breathing heavily. This time, it was my turn to rub his back. "What's wrong?"

"The Volturi… the Volturi were the ones that killed my mother. It was one of their cars that crashed into ours."

I gasped in shock at his words. The Volturi had killed his mother too?! I couldn't believe the chances of that even happening. This was so surreal, I couldn't believe that it was true and was actually happening us. It looked like the Volturi had caused more damage than I first thought.

"I can't believe it."

"They crashed into us and didn't bat an eyelid. I'll never forget the guy who just left us there to die." He was staring into space as he spoke, obviously reliving the moment again. I laced my fingers with his. I was relieved when he reacted and held onto my hand. "The man wasn't driving, but the driver did try to help us. The man told him to leave us, since he had no time and had stuff to do. He abandoned a woman and her 6 year old child, leaving them to lie there and die."

"Who was he? What was his name?" I whispered, tears filling my eyes again as he spoke.

"Aro," was all that he said.

Aro. It was so short, yet drew fear from me. I didn't recognize the name, so I knew that he didn't personally see to the murder of my mother or the kidnap of my father. Perhaps such violence was carried out on his orders. But then again, why would the Volturi target me and my parents? We had never done anything to them, surely it all had to be an accident… didn't it? Aro wasn't a very common name, so I figured that he might be easy to get to, especially for the police.

"He's the guy who is in charge. He's the boss" Edward told me, chuckling only to stop himself from crying.

Perhaps not that easy!

"I'm so sorry, Edward," I said, rubbing my thumb over the back of his hand. He seemed to snap out of his daydream then and he finally looked me in the eyes. I relaxed a little when he gave me a smile.

"You shouldn't be sorry, love. It wasn't your fault. But I promise you, we will find these men and we will get your dad back."

"Thank you, Edward," I smiled, leaning forward and resting my head upon his chest. He kissed the top of my head as he held me in his lap. I hoped that he was right and that one day we would find them. Those sick men deserved to be behind bars for what they had one. Not just to Edward and I, but to everyone who had been affected by them. I knew that I would come face to face with them someday as they still had my dad, and I fully intended on getting him back soon. At least I was in the safety of the Cullens. Who knows what they could be doing to him or how they could be treating him. I just prayed that he was alright.

I glanced over at the clock on Edward's wall and noticed the time. 2.30am. _Hmm… the nightmare was earlier tonight._ I didn't usually get them until quite late into the night and they would usually wake me up ready for the day. I wondered if Edward had anything to do with how early it had arrived.

"You should try to sleep again, love," Edward told me then, pulling me away so that he could look at my face. He smiled at me before leaning in and giving me the softest and warmest of kisses. My whole body tingled.

"Alright," I replied when I pulled away, still tired from the lack of sleep.

We both lay down then, covering ourselves with the quilt and settling into the pillows. Edward pulled me too him and I nuzzled my face into his neck, letting his scent keep me calm. He held onto me tightly, but I wasn't complaining. I was holding him just the same.

"Will you be ok now?" he whispered.

"Uh-huh," I nodded as I closed my eyes.

"Just relax and I promise that you will have sweet dreams," he told me, brushing his fingers lightly along my skin.

His words made me smile and his touches kept me calm and as he kissed my forehead, I fell into a deep slumber. However, the nightmares didn't come. Instead, my dreams were happy and joyful…

_It was just me sitting in the meadow, the flowers surrounding me, the sun shining high and bright in the beautiful blue sky, a light breeze blowing past me, causing my hair to move around a little before it settled back down. For once, it was warm in Forks and I felt so content here, in my most favorite place in the whole world. This place really was perfection._

_I heard footsteps behind me and I knew that I wasn't alone. _

_Suddenly, I felt skin connect with mine and the electric sensation that flooded my body automatically told me who it was. I smiled as he sat down behind me and pulled me to him, wrapping his arms around my body, trapping me in a loving protective cage. This was the sort of cage that I would never want escape from, I could live in it forever, never afraid of it. I leaned back into him, resting my head upon his shoulder, wanting to get as close as I could._

_I suddenly felt his lips connect with my skin as he kissed across my shoulders and the back of my neck. His hands lightly brushed across my arms and I began to shiver in the most delightful way. His touch caused my breathing to become labored and I knew right there and then that I would never be able to give him up… ever. I loved him too much to be apart from him. The flowers swayed in the wind._

_His hands brushed my hair to one side and he began to pepper kisses up my neck, heading towards my ear slowly and seductively. His lips left goose bumps in their tracks as he finally reached my ear. His breath on my skin made me sigh in happiness and I felt so complete in that moment. He finally spoke, his musical voice filling the silence, whispering sweetly into my ear._

"_I love you, Bella."_

"_I love you too, Edward," I replied._

"_Always," he finished as he turned me around to face him and he placed his lips upon mine..._

Edward was right. I did have sweet dreams, the most sweetest of dreams in fact. I knew that as I slept there in his warm protective arms that night, everything would be alright.

Almost as if he could read my mind, he held onto me tighter whilst he slept. Yes, everything would be alright, because I would always have him by my side.


	18. Three words

_Hi everyone!_

_Thank you's go to lovedoves, pizza003, lionlambnatz, Adrianna1120, Cullen0-Lover-101, Tommygrl1997, sprinter1, cnelson, bells254, mindreadingweirdo, RunEdwardRun, WilD TeeNTaLker, HealThisHeartbreak and secretobsession7 for their reviews. Thanks guys!_

_This is another one of those fluff filled filler chapters, but it had to be in here ready for the lead up to a much bigger chapter, otherwise it wouldn't have made much sense! A pivotal turning point will be coming up in the next few chapters so I just wanted a few fluffy chapters for now. I hope you enjoy guys._

_This chapter is named after 'Three Words' by Cheryl Cole. It's such a brilliant song and it features Will. I. am from the Black Eyed Peas. She's English and is very popular in the UK, so I recommend listening to her stuff. She's good._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but let me count the ways I love it. Edward… Carlisle… Jasper… Emmett… Jacob…_

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

Christmas break was sadly over and the new spring semester at school had arrived in full swing. Homework was being thrown at us left, right and centre and we all had to work harder than ever. No-one ever said high school was easy!

I would miss the Christmas period. I had always enjoyed Christmas since I was a kid, but this year had given me happiness, joy and so much more. My life had changed for the better because of it and now Christmas and New Years would always have a new and special meaning in my heart.

I spent the rest of Christmas break constantly in Edward's company. We stuck together practically all the time - we were never apart. We would just hang out in his room, listening to music and watching TV. He taught me more on the piano whilst I taught him to bake cookies properly. He could now bake them without burning them. 5th time's the charm after all! Only in the house could we be alone and that could only happen in either my room or Edward's. A show of affection anywhere else would have had Edward's parents suspicious. I totally understood their worry of one of their children getting too close to a witness, but I wanted nothing more than to just hold him or kiss him and show everyone that he was mine.

If we wanted to go out in public together, we had to go with one of the other Cullens, so as to avoid any speculation or gossip that we were together. It would not bode well if Edward and I were caught holding hands or something in the middle of the mall or the park, especially with the size of a town like Forks. News travels fast in this place. If we were caught in the afternoon, Carlisle and Esme would know by early evening. It was usually Alice who would accompany us. She was very understanding of the situation that we were in and she made sure to keep our secret. Edward was right; the little pixie would keep her mouth shut. Sometimes Jasper would accompany us too. Alice insisted we all went on a double date, but we had to explain to her that doing that would totally defy the purpose of hiding our relationship. She kept quiet about it after that.

It wasn't long after Alice and Jasper found out about us that Emmett and Rosalie found out too. We didn't tell them per say, they kind of… found us. Rosalie came into Edward's room one morning to tell him something and she found us both cuddled up together in his bed. There were very few reasonable excuses that we could come up with at that point and so Emmett and Rose were in on it all too. Thankfully, they had kept it to themselves, saying how happy they were for us, but that didn't stop Emmett making discreet comments here and there. I usually laughed them off, knowing it was just Emmett joking about, but Edward was usually annoyed by it, telling Emmett he would kick his ass if Carlisle or Esme ever figured it out because they had heard his teasing. But I knew Emmett. His parents wouldn't find out due to his teasing.

It was a weird way to have a relationship, but that's just the way it had to be. I accepted it and so did Edward. If he was happy, then so was I. As long as we were together, that's all that mattered.

It was the Thursday of our first week back at school when I was sitting on the sofa and suddenly got the urge to bake cookies. We had all had a long day at school and we were waiting for Carlisle to return from his job at the hospital before dinner could begin. Edward was in his room, busy doing the homework that was due in tomorrow. We had gotten it Monday and I had done it that same night, but Edward being Edward decided to leave it last minute as always. He would always have to rush to get it done the night before instead of just doing it the day he got it. But I wouldn't change him for the world; it's why I loved him after all.

I switched the TV off and made my way into the kitchen, ready to begin baking. I wanted to make Edward cookies to eat whilst he worked. I knew how much he loved my cookies, saying the ones he made would never be as delicious as mine. As usual I blushed when he said that, loving how he always complemented me. With his soft face and his kind words in my mind, I set to work on cooking.

The ingredients were all mixed together and I was making the cookie shapes out of the dough when Alice and Jasper walked in... I say walked, Alice sort of skipped.

"Hi, Bella! Oh, you're making cookies!" she said, her grin to big to fit her face. Edward wasn't the only one who enjoyed my cookies.

"Sure am," I replied, continuing to make the shapes and placing them on the baking tray.

"Where's Edward?" she asked me.

"Guess," I joked.

"Homework?" she asked, even though she clearly knew the answer.

I merely nodded and Jasper chuckled. "Figures," he said.

"Has he always been like this with homework?" I asked curiously, placing the last of the cookies onto the baking tray.

"Sure has. From when he was 5 years old, he's always left it till last minute," Jasper explained.

"And then he always stresses out," Alice said as she took an apple from the fruit bowl on the island counter in the middle of the kitchen. "I can't see why he hasn't learnt by now that you should do it straight away." She took a bite from her apple.

"Well, I decided to bake him some cookies, try and see if it helps him work, you know?" I said to them as I moved and put the cookies in the oven.

"Awwww," Alice cooed. "I adore young love." Her happy face quickly changed to one of worry. "But you will save some cookies for us, right?"

"Of course I will," I smiled.

"Thank you, Bella," he said as she embraced me in a hug. Sure, Alice could sometimes be a bit over the top, I mean I was only baking cookies, but it was good to know that she cared for me that much. Over the months that I had been with the Cullens, Alice had turned into something of a little sister and best friend to me. I saw all of the Cullen's as family really. I cared for each and every one of them. I couldn't have wished for better people to stay with. I knew that wherever he was, Charlie would approve of the Cullens looking after me until he was found. It would be impossible not to like them!

Alice and Jasper left shortly after that and pretty soon after, the cookies were finally done. I took them from the oven and gave them a few minutes to cool a little. Once they were ready, I placed some of them into the cookie jar, ready for everyone else, and placed a few upon a plate, ready to take up to Edward. They were still warm and I wanted to get them up to him as soon as possible; he loved them warm. I poured him a glass of milk to go with the cookies and made my way upstairs to him. I reached his room and somehow managed to knock on the door without dropping anything.

_Well, that's a first!_

My sub-conscious was right, especially with how clumsy I could be!

"Come in," came his voice through the door.

I pushed it open and I could not resist tilting my head and smiling at him when I saw him. He was sitting at his desk, writing vigorously whilst his tongue was sticking out of his mouth in concentration. He looked so adorable.

_Edward always looks adorable…_

Yes, he does.

He looked over to see who his visitor was.

"Bella!" he smiled when he saw that it was me.

"Hi," I replied, closing the door and making my way over to him. "I thought I'd bring you something to help you work."

He sniffed the air as I walked. "Cookies?" he asked.

"Uh-huh," I nodded. I reached his desk and placed the plate and the glass of milk upon it. "I figured you could use some brain food."

He picked up a cookie and took a bite. He moaned at the taste of them. "Mmmm… God, I love you, Bella," he said as he ate.

I guessed my cookies were good!

"Thanks," I blushed. He could tell me that he loved me forever; I wouldn't ever get bored of hearing it.

He finished his cookie, stood up, grasped me by the waist and suddenly kissed me. I smiled against his lips, loving when he surprised me like this. Usually, I hated any sort of surprise, but Edward managed to get round that. He knew I loved it when he surprised me with his kisses and so would surprise me all of the time. I held onto his arms and return the kiss. I could taste the cookies on his tongue.

"What was that for?" I asked breathlessly when we pulled away.

"Because you make the most awesome cookies," he said, kissing my forehead. "And because I love you," he said, kissing the tip of my nose. He gave me his trademark crooked grin before he sat back down at his desk. I just stood there, flustered. He really had no idea how much he dazzled me sometimes. I sat down on the edge of his bed, next to his desk, trying my hardest to compose myself. Edward just chuckled to himself at my current state.

"How's the homework going?" I asked when I had finally calmed down enough to form a coherent sentence.

"I'm almost done," he smiled as he took another cookie, biting it. He looked at the glass on his desk. "Oh, you brought milk too. Thank you, love."

"You're welcome," I smiled as he took a drink. He continued to work and write.

I took this time to gaze around Edward's room. His CDs were still piled up on the shelves, looking more like wallpaper than anything else. Edward loved his music. He must own every CD in existence! His couch took up the far wall and his curtains were closed since it was dark outside. A few of my things were in here now too. I had my own draw for clothes and Edward had a similar set up in my room. Since we spent every night together in one of our rooms, we figured that it made sense to bring a few clothes over, just in case. Everything had to be hidden though, just incase Esme or Carlisle were to ever notice.

"You ok, love?" Edward asked me, ripping me from my thoughts.

"I'm fine," I smiled.

"Good," he replied, brushing the tips of his fingers over my cheek delicately causing an electric sensation. He smiled, then carried on writing.

"Are the cookies working?" I asked him, playing with my fingers.

"Yes," he grinned. "I'm on the last question.

I was relieved. Since we were secret, any chance that we got to be together, we took. Homework was just one of those things that had to get in the way. We hadn't been able to be together at all today due to the fact we had school and I was eager to spend some quality time with him.

Jacob hadn't been in this week. Either that or he had managed to avoid me. I wasn't sure what I'd do if I saw him again. I mean, I knew he did something bad, but he was highly drunk at the time and wasn't aware of his actions. Jake had been a good friend to me and I didn't really want to lose that friendship with him. I knew Edward wouldn't approve if I forgave him. Edward was lusting for his blood; he now hated him with a passion. I knew that they didn't get on before but now the feeling between them was probably worse than hatred. If ever I brought Jacob's name up in conversation, Edward would growl and quickly change the conversation. I wasn't sure what to do. I needed to see him first. Then I would figure out our friendship.

"Done!" Edward said suddenly, dropping his pen and leaning back in his chair, his hands behind his head. His smile was huge.

"Finally," I joked.

"I agree, and now you have me all to yourself for the rest of the evening."

_Now I like the sound of that!_

I giggled at his words and he chuckled back. He stood up then, looking around the room thoughtfully and carefully. Finally, he must have agreed on something as he produced a knowing smile and went over to his CDs. I watched him as he quickly took one from the shelf, opened the case and placed the disk in the CD player. I smiled as 'Clair de Lune' filled his room. It was sort of like _our_ song. Throughout everything we had been through, it had always been playing somewhere and it always reminded me of my Edward. The one song I had wanted to hear the most though was the one he had been playing that day I walked in from the mall. It was so soft and beautiful, but Edward refused to play it until it was finished and perfected. He had told me that it was special and he wanted it to be just right.

I was still seated on his bed when he walked over to me and held out his hand. I looked at it feeling very confused. I looked up into his eyes questioningly, my eyebrows furrowed, wondering what he was getting at. Then those three words left his lips.

"Dance with me?" he asked so sweetly.

My eyes widened.

_Me… dance… me?_

Was he trying to kill me!? Those three words were the three words I hated the most in all the world and somehow Edward had made them sound beautiful. I couldn't dance; I had explained this to him at the New Years party. I would always fall over my own feet and end up flat on my face looking like a total idiot. So I avoided it all together. It was best for me, as well as everybody around me!

I shook my head, giving him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Edward, but I don't - "

"Please?" he asked, looking pleadingly into my eyes.

_Damn those beautiful green eyes!_

How could I resist him when he gave me that kind of look? I would do anything when he looked at me like that. I would be totally under his spell with no hope of escape… not that I wanted to escape. Those green eyes could just work wonders.

Slowly and apprehensively, I took a deep breath, placed my hand in his and stood up from my seat on the bed. His eyes lit up when he saw that I had accepted his offer to dance and he smiled like a little boy in a candy store. Well, if it made him that happy…

He led me to the middle of the room and stood to face me. One of his hands held mine whilst one went to my waist. I put my free hand on his shoulder.

"I have to warn you, I can't dance," I said to him in all seriousness.

"Well then, I'll just have to lead you," he smiled.

"I will fall flat on my face," I warned him. "It's inevitable."

"Don't worry, love. You're in safe hands."

Slowly, we began to sway to the sweet melody that filled his room and he held me closer. I felt his gaze on me but I couldn't look at him; my eyes were constantly directed at my feet, watching them to make sure they didn't slip up. Edward chuckled at me but I just ignored him. I bit my lip in concentration, making sure that I didn't step on his toes. That was the last thing that I wanted to happen, even though it would happen eventually - it always did.

"You're really worried about this, aren't you?" he asked sweetly.

"Yes," I nodded, my eyes trained onto my feet. I had to be the most uncoordinated person on the planet. Dancing and I just don't mix. Never had, never would. I preferred to just sit off at the side and watch everybody else dance. It was much safer that way.

Suddenly Edward lifted me up, bringing me closer to him before he set me back down on my feet. Only this time they weren't on the ground, they were on top of his. Surely I was heavy standing on his feet, but from the look on his face, he didn't seem to mind. His smile said it all. We began moving to the music again and since my feet were much safer now, I could look into his eyes. I grinned, knowing that I wasn't causing any danger and that this arrangement was working.

"See," he smiled. "You're dancing."

"Yeah, I guess I am," I chuckled. Those three words he had said to me weren't as terrible as I figured after all.

"See, it's not so bad" he said.

"No, I guess it isn't," I said happily. "I'm not too heavy, am I?"

"Of course not," he replied. "You're perfect."

Cue the blush!

I felt the warmth in my cheeks and I knew that I had to be flushing the brightest of reds. My blush was so embarrassing, but there was nothing I could do to stop its unwanted appearance. Edward seemed to love it though, so perhaps it wasn't too bad.

He must have been happy with the blush because he suddenly began running his nose across my cheek, getting as close to it as possible.

"I really do love that blush, love," he whispered to me as he kissed my cheek. It caused my breathing to hitch.

_He's dazzling you again!_

"You have to stop doing that," I told him.

"Doing what?" he asked, looking very confused. His heavenly scent washed over me as he spoke.

"Dazzling me," I said quietly, feeling a little embarrassed. We continued to move to the music and his grip on me tightened, bringing me closer to him. This didn't help my blush.

"I dazzle you?" he said, seemingly amused. I'm glad he was, I wasn't!

"Yeah, you… dazzle me and I end up like a blubbering idiot around you."

He chuckled to himself. "Ok, I'll stop dazzling you on one condition."

"What's that?"

"_You_ have to stop dazzling _me_."

I dazzled him?! Me?… plain Bella Swan?… I dazzled Edward Cullen?… Was he serious? I was hardly dazzling, I knew that for a fact. Though, he always told me that I was beautiful. Perhaps I was dazzling after all... to Edward anyway.

"Deal," I said.

"Deal," he repeated. "Though, I doubt that I will be able to keep with it."

"Why?" I asked as we swayed.

"Because you will always dazzle me, Bella."

His words were so sincere and I knew he meant it completely. How I had ended up with him, I'd never know. He was just too wonderful and perfect for words.

"I love you, Edward," I whispered to him. I was completely caught up in the moment.

He smiled. "I love you too."

His lips captured mine in the most loving and heart melting kiss. My lips moved with his. Our tongues fought for dominance, but I just let him win. I didn't want the fight, I just wanted him. As our kiss finished, so did the song.

"Can I ask you something, Bella?" he said, looking into my eyes.

I nodded. "Of course."

"Since I've shown you that dancing isn't so bad after all… will you accompany me to the Spring Ball at school?"

Ah, the Spring Ball. Forks High School put on a Spring Ball each and every year in the hope of raising money for charity. It was for a good cause and everyone usually went. Girls would dress in beautiful dresses and gowns and the guys would wear suits. The girls would think of it as a sort of 'practice' ready for prom. It was taking place in March and I wasn't really planning on going, since dancing and I hate each other. But Edward was giving me that pleading look again.

_What's the worst that can happen, Bella. You just managed to dance just without falling over once._

But that was just Edward and I. The rest of the school wasn't watching. Didn't my sub-conscious understand?

_Do you seriously think Edward would invite you if he thought you would embarrass yourself? He will take care of you, you know he will. It's two months away, surely you can practice in that time._

She was right - as usual. No, he wouldn't embarrass me and I would love to go with him.

"What will everyone think if we go together?" I tried.

"I'll tell them that we are going as friends. No-one will know any better. Will you go with me?"

Of course I would! The chance to spend an evening with Edward, to be able to be in his arms without people suspecting, yes I would go with him. People would think we were just dancing, they wouldn't know any better. I wanted nothing more than to go with him.

"Yes," I smiled. "I'd love to go with you."

He grinned then before picking my up and swirling me in circles. My laughter filled the room and I just couldn't stop it. Edward's laughs mingled with mine and made the most beautiful sound. He eventually set me on my feet and even though I was a little dizzy, I didn't let it stop my good mood.

"Thank you, love," he told me. "I love you." Now, those three words I could hear him say all day. I would never get bored of it. I was about to reply when there was suddenly a knock on his door. We both froze, wondering who it could be.

"Chill," came Alice's girly voice through the door. "It's just me."

We both physically relaxed and Alice came into the room, all smiles and grins.

"Hi, Alice," I said.

"Hey, Bella!" she said sweetly. "Now, don't take this the wrong way, but get out!"

"What?" I said worriedly. I was caught a little off guard. What was wrong? Edward laughed to himself at my reaction. I gave him a glare, which only made him laugh more.

"Edward and I need to discuss Valentines Day, so you can't be here."

_Valentines Day?_

"But that's like a month away," I explained, wondering what we would be doing for Valentines Day.

"I know, but we have to start planning now. Trust me, it will all be worth it in the end."

I gave her a worrying look, but Edward quickly eased it. "Don't worry, love. You will love it, I promise. I just need my sister's advice."

I blushed and nodded. Why they had to plan Valentines Day a month in advance confused me to no end, but I just let them get on with it. It was probably Alice's idea; I could see that Edward was slightly worried by this whole thing too. But thats Alice for you.

_Crazy little pixie!_

I gave Edward a quick kiss on the cheek before I left the room, allowing them to talk, closing the door behind me. I went down stairs and headed for the kitchen, getting one of the cookies I had baked to keep me going until dinner. _Damn, they did taste good!_

I wondered what we would be doing for Valentines Day. This was the first time in my life that I had had someone to spend it with but I was both nervous and excited at the same time. I was excited to be with Edward, yet nervous about what we would be doing. In all honesty, I didn't really care what we did. We could just sit in a tree or out on the sidewalk in the rain for all I cared. As long as I was with Edward, that's all that mattered to me. I would have to wait a month to find out too. Why was I so concerned about Alice being involved?!!!!!

I couldn't believe Edward had convinced me to actually go to a dance, one with lots of people at that! He knew my feelings on dancing, yet somehow he had managed to get around it and I was going with him… voluntarily. Was I crazy?! I was excited though. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all, especially if I had Edward with me. I mean… what's the worst that could happen…


	19. Bella's lullaby

_Hi everyone!_

_Thanks to gaby47, pizza003, bells254, lionlambnatz, mindreadingweirdo, Adrianna1120, no named person, lilmaher, Caitlin S., Cullen0-Lover-101, twinkletwi, Tommygrl1997, Edawrd-Bella, cnelson, twilightluver39, stacey04, sprinter1, WilD TeeNTaLker, HealThisHeartbreak, secretobsession7, RunEdwardRun and Icestorm51 for their reviews. I really enjoy reading them and its fun to see what you guys think. Keep it up!_

_Just for this chapter, I do want to remind everyone that this story is rated T, not M _

_Its nearly Christmas! I am so excited. I literally did all of my Christmas shopping at the weekend, so I can relax now. I didn't want to leave it till last minute like I usually do lol. Since the shopping is done and Uni is out for Christmas, I can now spend more time writing!... which is good news for you!_

_This chapter is named after "Bella's Lullaby" by Carter Burwell. It's the one from the movie! I wasn't expecting it to sound like it did, I think I was expecting something a little bit more slow and romantic, but I still like the one that was used. It's still really sweet._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. I don't posses as wonderful an imagination as Stephenie Meyer has._

* * *

Edward Cullen's Point of View

February 14th... Valentines Day.

The one day that I had never celebrated in my life, yet it was the one day I had been looking forward to for weeks now and when it finally arrived, I was beyond excited at what it would hold for me. Excitement, surprise, love. The day however wasn't about me; it was about worshipping my precious Bella.

I had never seen the point in Valentines Day. I mean, if you love somebody, you should prove your love to them every single day. Why specify just one day to show how much you care? It just seemed pointless really. But it would always come around, despite my beliefs about it and it would just annoy me. The day was always made especially bad for me because I would always have to share it with three loved up couples. My whole family would spend the day all lovey-dovey with their significant others and I'd just sulk in a corner, gagging at how whipped the men became around their women. All six of them were like love sick puppies throughout the whole day whilst I was alone, and it would do my head in.

This year, it was different - I had someone to dote on and show affection to and I couldn't wait.

I was in my room, getting ready to celebrate the evening with Bella when I slowly let my mind wonder…

I had been planning what to do today for a month. I thought I could plan it the day before or something, but Alice insisted that she helped me and she got the blueprints out a month in advance. She seemed more excited than I did!

The first thing we had to plan was how the hell we were going to be together without getting caught. It was much easier to be together now that Emmett and Rosalie knew about us and it meant that we had less people to hide from. The only people we had to hide from now were mom and dad. We needed to find a way to be together without them spotting us. Alice and I finally decided that Bella and I would have to wait until mom and dad went out for the evening before going out ourselves. Dad always booked up at some posh restaurant on Valentines Day and mom and dad would be out until the early hours of the morning. As soon as they would leave, Bella and I could be together for the whole evening.

I was going to be taking Bella out for Valentines Day. We had been stuck in the house for so long now and I really wanted this to be a night to remember for my Bella. I really wanted tonight to be about her and how much I loved her. She knew how much I loved her, but I still wanted her to have a good time and I wanted to dote on her all night. We were going to see a movie at the cinema in Port Angeles. Since most of Forks' residents would be going to the Forks cinema, Alice figured it would be best to go somewhere where we wouldn't be noticed so easily.

After the cinema, I planned for a picnic in our meadow, complete with all the foods that Bella liked. Alice had brought some candles to help light it all up and look romantic and I knew that it was going to be perfect for her. I knew that she would love it. Bella always liked the simplest things. She would rather have a quiet picnic in our meadow rather than a big lavish meal at some posh restaurant. The meadow would mean more to her anyway.

I wanted to end the night perfectly and I knew just how to do it. After weeks and weeks of practice, my Bella's lullaby was finally complete and ready to be performed. She had asked me to play it for her so many times but I had always refused. I wanted it to be perfect before I played it for her and now, it was just that. I was going to play it for her and I knew that she would love it. It would be the perfect ending to the perfect evening with the most perfect girl in the world. I was beyond excited.

Since Valentines Day was on a Friday, we had to go to school during the day. It was common practice that Bella and I didn't show any affection at school, but it was so much harder to do today. Alice and Jasper didn't help the situation as they kissed all day and canoodled at lunch time in the cafeteria. Other couples at school were showing their love too, yet all Bella and I could do was sit at either end of the lunch table and just wish that we were together. We made eye contact as often as we could though, and I winked constantly in the hope of my favorite blush appearing. I wasn't disappointed and I was overjoyed when it appeared.

Alice had brought an outfit for Bella to wear tonight but she refused to tell me what it was. Whatever Bella wore, I knew that she would look like an angel. Bella knew nothing about tonight, all she knew was that I was taking her out. I knew that she hated surprises, but she was going to love this one. Tonight had to be perfect.

I was beyond annoyed when Mike 'Douche-bag' Newton went and gave Bella a Valentines card in our English lesson. How dare he give a Valentines card to _my_ girl! I wanted to rip it from his hands and tell him that she was mine, no-one else's. I wanted to shout that she loved me, not him and that h didn't have a chance with my angel. I was ready to break his jaw for giving it to her, but Bella just smiled and took it sweetly. That's Bella for you though, always kind and gentle, even to the most annoying of people. It was one of the many wonderful traits of hers that I really admired - the fact that she could see the best in everything. It wasn't as good as the card I had gotten her. The one I got her was huge and pink and Bella's eyes sparkled when she opened it this morning. She looked so adorable.

But even though I was angry with Newton for giving the card to my Bella, the one emotion I felt the most was jealousy. He was free to show the world that he liked Bella. He could give her a card or a gift in front of the whole school, yet I had to restrain myself, banishing myself to only looking at her for the whole day. She was literally the forbidden fruit. The torture was horrible.

But all of that would change tonight. Tonight it was just going to be me and Bella, the whole evening to ourselves. My wallet was full of money, the car had a full tank of gas and Alice had helped me make the picnic whilst Bella did her homework. My little sister had hid the picnic basket in her room and was going to set everything up for me in the meadow. She and Jasper were planning on going out after Bella and I, so she didn't mind getting everything ready for us. I would have to remind myself to thank her later and get her something nice.

I put on my favorite dark blue button up shirt and fastened it up. I wanted to look good tonight. I knew that Bella didn't mind what I looked like, but I still wanted to look nice for her. I looked at my bedroom door and smiled, knowing that Bella was only across the hallway, currently in her room with Alice helping her get ready for the night. Mom and dad hadn't guessed anything. They were too busy getting themselves ready to be fair. I glanced at my clock. It was 6.40pm and I knew that my mom and dad had reservations at my mom's favorite restaurant at 7pm. They would be leaving at any moment.

I was wearing a dark grey blazer, matching dark grey trousers and my blue shirt. I put on a pair of my best black shoes and looked at myself in the mirror. I had to say, I looked good! I ran a hand through my hair, trying to do something with it. It was pointless really; it had a mind of its own. I had no control of it and it just fell wherever it wanted. Voices suddenly filled the house.

"We're leaving guys, have a good night," my dad suddenly shouted downstairs.

"Bye, dad," I shouted back and I heard the front door close. We were finally free.

Putting on my favorite aftershave, I grabbed my wallet, car keys and phone and left my room. I approached Bella's door and knocked. I couldn't wait to see her. I really was acting like a giddy little school boy. Only my Bella could cause that sort of reaction in me. Her bedroom door opened a fraction and a little pixie shoved her head through. I was annoyed that I couldn't see into the room and even more annoyed that it was my sister greeting me and not Bella.

"Can I help you?" Alice said casually.

"Is she ready?" I asked hopefully.

"Not yet. Go wait downstairs, she won't be long." Her eyes then began to move up and down my body, almost as if she was assessing me.

"What?" I asked.

"Hmmm…" She tapped her chin with her finger. "Yes, you look presentable. I like the shirt, but I do wish that you would do something with your hair."

"Alice, if you can control my hair, I'll give you a million dollars," I joked.

"Fair point. Now, go downstairs. She won't be long." With that, she closed the door in my face. I turned on my heel and began the journey downstairs, frightened that the pixie would attack if I didn't!

I hoped that Alice wasn't being too hard on Bella with the whole getting ready thing. My Bella didn't like to be over dressed or to wear too much makeup. She was one of these girls who just liked everything plain and simple. I knew what Alice could be like. I knew that she was in her element right now.

I reached the bottom of the stairs and headed into the living room. When I reached it, I saw Jasper sitting in front of the TV, flicking through the channels, looking bored beyond belief. He was dressed very smartly, much the same as I was. He was waiting for Alice.

"You're waiting too, huh?" I smiled. I took a seat on the sofa.

"Yeah. But you know what Alice can be like," he replied. Yes, I did!

"Where are Emmett and Rosalie?" I asked wonderingly.

"Already left," he replied, settling on one of the music channels. I settled into my seat and watched the TV too, waiting for my angel to grace me with her wonderful presence. I just prayed that tonight was going to go well. I knew that it would, I had no idea why I was worrying.

It was about 10 minutes later when Jasper and I heard footsteps descending the stairs. We looked at each other before standing up, going to greet the girls. Alice looked very pretty in her deep purple dress and matching purple heels. My little sister was a pretty girl, so what did I expect. But then my eyes turned to Bella.

She was Shakespeare's Juliet, she was Helen of Troy, she was Aphrodite, Greek goddess of beauty, she was breathtaking. She stood there, looking shy, her fingers interlaced and her blush very clear on her cheeks. Alice had done a brilliant job and Bella didn't look uncomfortable in the clothing. She wore a white baby doll dress that went just above her knees, a royal blue cardigan, deep blue tights and black flats. Her hair cascaded down her back and shoulders in gentle curls and her makeup was light. I also noticed my mother's bracelet circling her wrist, adding to the charm of the outfit. She was literally a vision of perfection.

I didn't realize that my jaw had been hanging in total awe of Bella until Alice came up to me and pushed my mouth closed. She gave me an amused look before she headed on over to Jasper. He seemed to react to Alice the same as I had done to Bella. They both entered the living room whilst I stayed in the foyer with Bella, just gawping at her. I was spellbound.

"Well, say something," she said quietly. She was obviously nervous due to my stupid staring.

"Wow," I said, looking at my angel. I couldn't quite believe that she was mine. She would have men falling at her feet looking like that. I would have to be protective tonight as I knew that a few men would be staring at her. She was beautiful.

She giggled at my answer, quite amused by it before walking over to me, wrapping her arms around my waist and resting her head upon my chest. "You look so handsome."

"You look stunning," I replied, wrapping my arms around her body and drawing her closer to me. It should be illegal to look that beautiful. She lifted her head to look at me and I captured her lips with my own. The kiss was slow and sensual and I couldn't wait to spend tonight with her. Valentines Day was going to be perfect. We slowly pulled apart and I rested my forehead upon hers. "You ready to go?"

"Yes," she nodded. We let go of each other, but I made sure to keep a hold of her hand. I laced our fingers. "Alice?" I shouted.

"Don't worry, I have it all covered," she shouted back to me, obviously sensing the question that I was about to ask her. I just wanted the meadow to look the best that it could. Bella looked at me and she seemed confused.

"All in good time, love," I told her. She was going to love her surprise.

We said our goodbyes to Alice and Jasper and left the house, heading for the car. I opened Bella's door and she got in before I walked around and got into the car myself. With the two of us strapped in and ready to go, I started the engine and began to move down the drive. Soon enough, we were on the road and I put the radio on to provide us with some light background music. It was about 10 minutes into the drive when Bella spoke.

"Edward, where are we going?"

"I can't tell you yet, love," I replied. "Or else it wouldn't be a surprise."

"But I hate surprises."

"I know, but trust me, you will love what I have planned tonight."

She seemed to give up after that and just reclined into her seat, enjoying the view outside. I squeezed her knee in reassurance, just to make sure that she was ok. She gave me a beautiful smile back and I knew that all was well.

The drive to Port Angeles didn't take us too long. Bella seemed a little confused that we were here, but it was all part of the surprise of the night. Finally coming up to a car park, I parked the Volvo and got out, walking around the car and opening Bella's door for her. I helped her out, locked the car and began walking to the cinema which was around the corner. Our hands remained held. We finally came to the cinema.

"I love the cinema!" Bella exclaimed, her eyes brightening when she saw our destination. "I haven't been in so long."

"Well, its totally up to you what we see, love. And don't worry, I'm paying."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

I nodded. "Tonight is all about you. You won't have to pay a thing."

"No," she smiled. "Tonight is about us." She stood on her tiptoes, kissed my cheek and walked me over to the queue.

We ended up choosing to watch some Rom-Com. I didn't mind what we saw, anything for my Bella. I couldn't believe that someone could get so excited from just going to the cinema. I brought a huge bag of popcorn and a large drink for us to share. I saw a few guys eyeing up Bella whilst we were in the snack queue, but I put my arm around her waist as I scowld at them, bringing her closer to me. The guys would avert their view at that point. Damn straight. She was my girl, not theirs.

"Are you jealous, Edward Cullen?" Bella teased. She had obviously seen the guys staring too.

"I'm just letting them know that you're here with me," I told her.

"Yes I am. Why would I want any of those guys when I have you?" She kissed my cheek again and I held her tighter to me. "And I love it when you get all protective." God, she really was amazing.

The screen was typically dark when we entered it, with only a few dim lights illuminating our way. There were quite a few couples in there, but thankfully no-one I recognized. That was the last thing we needed tonight. Nothing could ruin this evening. We sat up near the back, right in the centre and got ourselves comfy. Bella was practically bouncing in her seat.

"You ok, love?" I chuckled. She had definitely spent too much time around Alice.

"I'm great. I'm just so excited."

It was good to see her like this, especially after the way she had been with her nightmares. That night had hurt me as much as her. To see her in the pain she was, screaming in her sleep - it broke my heart. I just held her and calmed her down until she was well again. After telling me about the nightmare, it seemed that the two of us both had a vendetta with the Volturi. I didn't know how I was going to do it, but I wouldn't stop until my Bella was reunited with her father again. I just wanted her to be happy.

"I'm glad," I smiled. She giggled as she leaned over and kissed me. It was soft and sweet and I melted into it. I felt her smiling against my lips. As soon as the kiss finished, she eyed the popcorn and took a giant mouthful of the stuff. I just couldn't stop laughing at her. I loved the way that she made me feel so carefree.

Eventually, the lights died down and the movie began. We lifted the armrest up in the middle of our seats so that we could sit closer together. I had my arms wrapped around Bella whilst she rested her head on my shoulder. We couldn't have gotten any closer even if we tried! Bella was totally enraptured by the movie, the only movement coming from her being her hand to reach for more popcorn. I, on the other hand, had no idea what the hell the film was about. Why would I watch it when I could watch the beautiful creature in my arms. There was no comparison, Bella completely held my attention. I noticed the faces she pulled. Smiling at funny parts, shock at the unexpected parts, sadness at the depressing parts, blushing at the romantic parts. Even in the darkness, I could see that blush. It would be the death of me!

Occasionally, I would kiss her head or would brush my hands up and down her arm, illiciting the most delicious shiver from her. I would smile internally when she shivered at my touch. I loved the fact that I had that sort of affect on her. I affected her as much as she affected me. With my free hand, I would curl her hair around my finger, loving its smooth and soft texture. It smelt of strawberries.

The film eventually came to an end in the typical way - the guy got the girl. I didn't expect any less in a Rom-Com. The lights eventually came on and people started to leave. Bella sat up, moving out of my arms and had a stretch. I smiled at her.

"That was really good, didn't you think, Edward?" she said to me.

"Yeah, it was perfect," I replied, not letting her know that I was watching her rather than the movie. She grinned at me before placing a soft quick kiss upon my lips. We quickly left the cinema, hand in hand and headed back to the car. We got in and set off down the road.

"Wow, Edward. I've really enjoyed tonight," she said genuinely.

"Good… because it's not over yet."

"It isn't?" she said curiously. I could see the excitement in her eyes.

"No. That was just the first half of our evening."

"What else to do have planned?" she beamed. She was clearly enjoying herself and it gave me confidence that tonight was going well.

"You'll see, Bella," I smiled. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously before leaning back in her seat and enjoying the ride.

The ride finally ended as we pulled up the long hidden drive and parked outside of the house. As Bella got out of the car, she began walking up to the house, so I quickly grabbed her arm, stopping her. She gave me a confused look, so I just gave her that crooked grin that she loved so much. That seemed to ease her nerves and I took her hand as I led her into the forest. I got my torch from the car before we started our journey. I helped Bella over any obstacles that we came across in the forest and I made sure that she could get through safely.

"What's going on, Edward?" Bella asked me for the hundredth time tonight.

"It's a surprise, love," I reminded her.

After a long trek through the thick forest and foliage, we finally reached our meadow. I could see the dim light from all the candles before we even reached it, but when we did, I looked almost as shocked as Bella. Yes, I would definitely need to thank Alice for doing this! Not only were there candles, but she had strung fairy lights through all of the trees. Where she had found the electrictricity supply to light them, I'd never know, but the place looked amazing. I saw the picnic I had prepared by the tallest tree. The flowers filling the grass completed the look of the meadow and when I turned to see Bella's reaction, she was in total awe. She covered her mouth with her hand and her eyes were wide and sparkling.

"Did you do all this?" she whispered.

"Yes… well, Alice helped me with a lot of it, but - "

I was cut of by Bella's lips suddenly on mine. Her kiss wasn't soft like normal, it was eager with a sense of urgency about it. I had never known her kiss like this but I liked it! It was different, but definitely likable. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her as close to me as possible. She threaded her hand through my hair and I was lost in her touch. She really had no idea what she did to me.

"Thank you," she whispered when we pulled away.

I gently took her hand and led her over to the laid out blanket and the large picnic basket. We both sat down and I saw all of the food I had prepared in the basket. Perfect. We ate, we spoke, we laughed, we just enjoyed each other. The meadow was the most perfect setting for our Valentines picnic and the candles and fairy lights just made it all that more romantic. The gentle lights really brought out the smoothness and softness of Bella's skin and they shined magnificently against her big brown doe eyes.

That's when I realized I was lying to myself earlier. Shakespeare's Juliet? Helen of Troy? Aphrodite, Greek goddess of beauty? They had nothing on my Bella. Nothing.

It was 11.30pm when our picnic finished and I knew that it was best to head back to the house now. The temperature was dropping cold and I was eager to get to my piano and play the lullaby for her. We packed up the basket, turned off the lights and blew out the candles before heading home. Everything could stay in the meadow for now; I would clean it all up tomorrow.

Soon enough, we were at the house and I quickly let Bella inside to get her out of the cold. She huddled close to me, trying to keep warm. I certainly wasn't going to stop her. I loved being this close to her. I closed the front door and ushered her further in, turning on the fire in the living room and sitting down by it with her. She moved and sat in my lap, nuzzling my neck as I held her.

"Thank you so much for tonight. It's been perfect, Edward. I love you," she said to me, her voice full of passion and sincerity. It made my heart beat erratically in my chest every time I heard her say that. I still couldn't believe that I had been blessed with this perfect angel. She was too good to be true. I sometimes wondered if I deserved someone as wonderful as her. I was a very lucky man.

"I love you too, Bella," I replied, cupping her cheek with my hand, bringing her lips to mine. This kiss however was the soft, loving, warm ones I craved from her. Our lips and tongues danced together in prefect sync, almost as if we were meant to be together. I loved her so much. When we broke apart for breath, she offered me the most loving smile I had ever seen and I knew in that moment that this was more than love. We were soul mates, two people destined to be together, no matter what tried to split us apart. No matter what happened to us, our love would conquer it all and we would be together forever. She was my entire lfe.

"Are you ok, Edward?" Bella asked, running her fingers through my hair. She quickly took her cardigan off, feeling hot by the fire and my eyes widened as I took in the mesmerizing color of her creamy flesh on her shoulders. She nuzzled her face in my neck once again.

"I'm fine, love," I replied, knowing I needed to get away from looking at her like that. If I didn't, I knew that I would be taking her straight upstairs! I wasn't going to do that if she wasn't ready. I quickly recovered myself. "I have one last surprise for tonight."

"Oh?" she said curiously. I quickly stood up, taking her hand and brought her over to the piano. We both sat on the bench and I turned to her.

"I want you to listen to this, but don't say anything till the end. It's finally finished and I know you want to hear it. So Happy Valentines Day, love."

With that, I faced the piano, closed my eyes, took a deep breath, placed my fingers on the black and white keys and played. I was totally lost in the music as I played, letting my fingers drift, playing the notes, creating the beautiful melody that was hers. It was her face in my mind as I played, it always was. My Bella, my Love, my Soul mate, my everything. The memories of everything we had ever done together filtered through my mind as I played, creating a montage of our time together and it made me grin so much, I was afraid that it wouldn't fit on my face. I faltered not once and it was a totally flawless performance. I was full of such emotion when I played it that it was impossible to make a mistake and I knew that it was the best that I had ever played the piece.

It finally ended and I opened my eyes to look over at Bella. She was looking at me intently with such love and adoration and a single tear fell down her cheek at the sound of the music. I lifted my finger and wiped it away, not wanting it to cover her perfect face.

"Wow," she whispered.

"I wrote it for you, Bella. It was inspired by you. That's why I didn't want you to hear it until it was finished and perfected."

"Wow," she repeated, too overcome to form coherent sentences. She was always so adorable when she was like this.

"If music be the food of love, play on," I said, giving her one of my most favorite quotes.

"Shakespeare," she smiled. Wow, I didn't know that she knew where that was from. It just made me care for her and love her more.

"It was _your_ lullaby, Bella. I wrote it just for you. I love you so much," I said.

All of a sudden, she launched herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and she peppered my face with kisses.

"I,"_ kiss _"Love," _kiss_ "You," _kiss_ "Too," she said between kisses.

She moved and sat on my lap until she straddled me and I just couldn't get enough of her. I pulled her closer to me and pulled her in for a kiss. It was slow, it was sensual, it was intoxicating. We moved together beautifully and there was an urge in both of us that had always been there, but it had never been this strong. I knew exactly what this urge was and as I lightly grazed her back and shoulders with my fingertips, and she started moving her hands up and down my chest and moaned into my mouth, I knew that we wouldn't be able to stop what we were doing; we would have to go upstairs. This was clearly something we both wanted and so I would make it happen. Valentines Day was the most perfect day for us to be closer after all.

"Shall we... go upstairs?" I managed to get out through kisses. All she could do was nod, not wanting to break our contact by answering verbally.

I didn't even let her get up. I just picked her and she wrapped her legs around my waist, holding onto me for dear life. I ran up the stairs with her, our lips never parting once and we entered my room. I walked over to my bed and gently set her down on it, sadly breaking the kiss. I quickly took my blazer off, throwing it across the floor before moving back over to her. She moved back until she was lying on my bed, her head on my pillow. I continued towards her until I was hovering over her perfect form. I smiled down at her and she cupped my face in her hands.

"I love you so much, Edward Cullen. There will never be another. Never," she told me softly, kissing me wherever she could.

"No-one else, only you," I replied, placing kisses across her face. "I love you, my Bella."

"Always," she whispered as she began unbuttoning my shirt.

"Always," I replied as I began to pull down the spaghetti straps on her dress. Our lips joined once again, our tongues battling for dominance in a fight where neither of us cared who won. All we wanted to do was be as close to each other as physically possible.

My shirt was finally unbuttoned and both of her straps on her dress were pulled down. She held me to her as I began kissing across her shoulders, getting a close as I could. Then, the one thing we didn't want to happen, happened.

The front door opened and closed indicating the return of my parents.

"We're home!" I heard my mother shout.

"Damn it," I mumbled to myself, pulling my lips from Bella's skin, annoyed that they had interrupted this moment between her and I. Bella just giggled, either at my words or at the situation. I wasn't sure which one, all I knew was that the sound of her giggles was making me feel better.

"Don't worry, Edward. Today has been so perfect, regardless of your parents coming back."

"Really?" I asked her.

"Yes." Her voice was sincere, her eyes truthful and loving. "It's been the best day of my life. Thank you."

"Ok," I smiled. "Go to your room, ready for sleep and I'll go see my parents. I'll be there in a while."

"Alright," she replied as we both sat up. She pulled the straps up on her dress. "I love you." She gave me a quick kiss before running from my room into her own. I smiled as I quickly changed into a t-shirt and some sweats. I knew that my parents would have a few questions if I came down in a shirt and dress pants. As soon as I was ready, I ran down stairs to greet them. When my father saw me, he smiled.

"Ah, Edward."

"Hey, dad. Did you guys have a good night?"

"Wonderful," he replied, looking at my mom lovingly. They had no idea how lucky they both were, being allowed to show affection in public. Jealousy surged through my veins.

"Where's Bella?" my mom asked.

"Oh, she went to bed about an hour ago," I lied. "And no-one else is back yet. I think I'm going to go and hit the sack too."

"Ok, sweetheart. Sleep well," my mother said as she kissed my forehead.

I quickly grabbed Bella's discarded cardigan without my parents noticing and ran upstairs and into my room. They didn't need to know why the cardigan was there, it would only make them start asking questions. I heard my parents follow me upstairs and go into their room to sleep. At least I could see Bella sooner. I got my pajamas on in record time and quietly headed to Bella's room, eager to be near her. When I entered it, I noticed that it was dark inside and the curtains were closed. Bella was curled up on top of her bed, sleeping sweetly, waiting for me. I hadn't realized how tired she was. She looked so innocent and pure when she was like that. Just like an angel. I closed the door quietly behind me but the noise still roused Bella from her slumber.

"Edward?" she asked quietly, gently lifting her head to get a better look.

"Yes. It's me, love," I told her as I quickly made my way over to the bed. She groggily moved and got under the covers and when I reached the bed, I soon followed her lead. As soon as we were in and the quilt covered us, she unconsciously moved and curled up to me, nuzzling her face in my neck. I chuckled at her before wrapping my arms around her lovingly, keeping her warm.

Today had been beyond expectation. It had been perfect, amazing, wonderful, words just couldn't describe it. It had just been about Bella and me, the two of us together as the couple that we were and I had loved every second of it. I was a little bit disappointed that Bella and I had not been able to be… intimate tonight and I could tell that my Bella was disappointed too. But we would be soon. It was the final way of showing our love for each other. We had proven our love mentally and soon we would prove it physically. I wanted nothing more than to be with her in every possible way.

Bella began speaking in her sleep and I gazed down at her as she did. "Love… Edward," she said before unconsciously nuzzling into my neck more. God, this creature was amazing. Even in her sleep she was professing her love. I was always be in debt and grateful to the god who had introduced me to Isabella Swan. I never wanted to leave her, I wanted to spend my whole life with her and never let her go. She was my world now.

"I love you too, my Bella," I whispered to her, kissing her forehead.

With a smile on my face and my soul mate next to me, I finally settled down, closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, my dreams full of the angel in my arms.


	20. Time to dance

_Hi everyone!_

_A massive thank you to VainVamp, bells254, lionlambnatz, HealThisHeartbreak, CetaBabe, Cullen0-Lover-101, pizza003, secretobsession7, RunEdwardRun, TeamEdward76, Caitlin S., Icestorm51, gaby47, Adrianna1120, t-shirt n pants, cnelson, BabyBear08, Tommygrl1997, mindreadingweirdo, twilightluver39, lilmaher, Sylvia Cullen, sprinter1 and Dani-1811 for their reviews. Thank you guys :D_

_Well, you could say the last chapter was sort of the calm before the storm as there is major plot progress in this one. Its all change from here, folks. I just hope you like it._

_This chapter is named after 'Time to dance' by Panic at the Disco. I really like this band, well their early stuff anyway. Enjoy guys!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. I just take the characters and place them in my own little world to see what happens. This story is the result!_

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

"How much longer do I have to keep these hair rollers in for?" I asked Alice. I lifted my hands, feeling the hair.

"Hmmm…" Alice said, tapping her chin mindlessly. "About another 5 minutes… and stop touching your hair!"

I put my hand down timidly and placed it in my lap. Tonight was not the best night to get on the pixie's nerves. She seemed ready to kill at any moment and I could see the stress on her face.

Tonight was the night! The Forks High School Spring Ball. The one night where I would have to dance until my legs dropped dead or I collapsed of embarrassment. Someone was going to get hurt tonight, whether it be my poor ankles or me tripping someone over with my terrible dancing skills. Either way, it wouldn't go well. I couldn't believe how quickly the time had gone since Edward asked me to go, but it had arrived nevertheless and Alice had been getting us ready since 3pm. The dance didn't start till 7!

"Should I wear the black dress or the red one?" Rosalie asked as she stood in front of Alice's full length mirror, holding each dress in front of her in order to pick the best one. Her hair was in rollers too. We had decided to get ready in Alice's room as it was much bigger than mine and she didn't want to move all of her makeup and hair things into my room.

"Definitely the red one," Alice said. "Emmett loves it when you wear red."

"Oh, good idea," Rose said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. I didn't want to know.

Edward and I hadn't tried being more intimate since Valentines Day. Every time we would try, something would interrupt us or we were just never alone to let something happen. I was a little annoyed really. I wanted to be closer to Edward and I knew this would be the ultimate way to show him my irrevocable love. I wanted it and he clearly wanted it too. We would be together… soon. I would make sure of it.

"Remind me why you're going to the dance again, Rosalie? I mean you don't go to school anymore," I asked. I was excited when Rose and Emmett announced that they were coming with us, but I wanted to know why.

"Because Emmy and I want a good night out and since there will be so many people at the dance, no-one will spot us," she said, holding the red dress in front of her. It was long and flowing, going right down to her feet and would make Rosalie look as beautiful as she was. She nodded to herself, happy with her choice.

Alice suddenly sat behind me on the bed. "It's been 5 minutes," she chimed as she began to release the rollers from my hair. One by one, loose curls began to fall down my back and shoulders and she began to organise them. Alice had done a wonderful job as usual. She always did.

"Awww, your hair looks so pretty, Bella," she grinned as she got off the bed and moved over to her makeup box. "Edward will be falling at your feet." I blushed at her words.

_I sure hope he does!_

She brought the makeup box over to her bed and sat in front of me, picking out the different things she was going to use on me. I eyed the makeup warily, worried about what she was going to do to me.

"Alice," I tried. "It's 5.30pm. Surely I don't need the makeup just yet." I was stalling for time and I knew that my pathetic attempts were going straight down the drain. The pixie had that glint in her eye. Whatever she said, goes! There was no escape.

"Nonsense," she said. "I have to do my makeup yet and Rose will want to use it too." I looked over at Rosalie and saw that she was just looking in the mirror, releasing her hair from the rollers. I looked at Alice, feeling worried. "Relax. I will be as gentle as possible."

I reluctantly nodded my assent and Alice began her work. She was right, she was very gentle. She seemed to know what makeup worked best on my face and she only put on as much as I liked. A little mascara, a little blusher (not that I needed it, my cheeks blushed enough) and a little lip gloss. I was as impressed as I always was with Alice's work. I looked… pretty and I hugged Alice as a thank you. She hugged me back, accepting my thanks.

After that, Alice and Rose began work on their makeup, making themselves look beautiful. The two of them seemed to be ridiculously good looking anyway and so didn't need much help. They could both wear a trash bag and have their faces covered in mud and both would look amazing. I had Charlie's big brown dull eyes, so I needed all the help I could get.

_Edward doesn't seem to think so. He's loves you no matter what you look like._

These were the kinds of times where I loved my sub-conscious - when she was giving me complements. Whenever she did that, she was my best friend! I blushed at her thoughts.

"You ok, Bella?" Alice asked, seeing my blush.

"I'm fine!" I said as coolly as possible. I hated how perceptive Alice could be at times! She continued on with her makeup.

It was 6pm when all our makeup and hair was done. My hair hung in loose curls down my back and shoulders, Rose's was done up with a few curls hanging down and Alice's was in its usual spiky fashion. We all decided that now was the best time to put our dresses on. Rosalie chose the red dress with the one shoulder strapping. Alice's was purple - her favorite color - and had spaghetti straps. It went just above her knees and was very feminine. In fact, it was very Alice! Mine was dark blue and strapless. It went right down to my feet and flowed beautifully. Alice chose a blue dress since it was Edward's favorite color on me. As I put it on, I could feel both the nerves and excitement of the night attacking me at once.

That's when Alice showed me the blue heels that I would be wearing tonight.

"No. No way!" I said, backing away from her, holding my hands up, thinking they would protect me. The dancing would kill me enough. Wearing heels as well would just be signing my death sentence!

"Please, Bella," she said, her hands on her hips. "Look at the size of the heel. It's practically none existent."

I looked at them apprehensively whilst biting my lip. They couldn't be _that _bad. They were very pretty and she was right, the heel was very small. I knew that I would regret it, but I nodded and took the heels from her, putting them on. I trusted Alice. She wouldn't have given them to me if she knew that I would be in danger. Once I had put them on, I realized that they weren't so bad. If anything, they felt like flats. I felt as if I was in safe hands and I nodded my approval.

"See?" she beamed. "Told ya!"

I smiled at her, telling her that they were ok. Perhaps the evening wouldn't be too bad after all.

I quickly put on the bracelet that Edward had given me for christmas and grabbed my matching dark blue clutch bag and finally, my outfit was complete. I was completely amazed by how I looked. I felt like a total princess in my dress and for the first time that day, I felt excited. I couldn't wait to see what Edward was going to look like. All I knew was that he, Jasper and Emmett were all wearing suits. I knew that he was going to look dashing and I hoped that he liked my outfit too.

"Right girls!" Alice said, grabbing her clutch bag. "Let's show them what we're made of."

Rosalie just rolled her eyes at Alice's pep talk and we all exited her room. The heels weren't too bad to walk in, I just about managed, even with a wobble or two, but I felt my nerves really hotting up as we headed for the stairs. What if I fall over? What if I made a total fool of myself? What if I tread on Edward's feet whilst we dance?

_Stop being a pessimist! You. Will. Be. Fine._

I nodded internally and tried to put my negative thoughts to the back of my head, out of the way. I needed to put on a brave face tonight. Yet, when I saw Edward waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs, the negative thoughts quickly disappeared and I was only full of happiness and joy. All three of the guys were at the bottom, along with Carlisle and Esme, who had a camera in her hand. They seemed to accept the fact that Edward and I were going to the dance together, especially when Edward told them that we were going as _just friends_. Their laid back approach of us going together made me wonder if they would be accepting of our relationship. I really hoped so and I knew that I would talk to Edward about it later. I really wanted them to know, I hated hiding what we were.

Alice, Rosalie and I all descended the stairs, the two of them flashing smiles for the camera. However, I only had eyes for my bronze haired Adonis and he only had eyes for me. He looked so handsome in his black suit, white shirt and black tie. He had a blue handkerchief in his breast blazer pocket that matched my dress and I had never seen anyone so beautiful in all my life. The images I had created in my head of what he would look like tonight did not do justice to the real thing. I couldn't resist smiling at his unruly disheveled hair. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't do anything with it. He gave me that lopsided grin and my blush made an unwelcome return.

When we all reached the bottom of the stairs, everyone decided to take more photos. Alice and Rose posed like pros with Emmett and Jasper and everyone had smiles on their faces. I just walked up to Edward and smiled. He smiled back.

"Bella," he greeted me, taking my hand in his and kissing it. My breathing hitched as it always did around him and I could not help but blush even more. Thankfully, no-one had seen our meeting and I was grateful for that. I bet I looked rather flustered! We posed for some photos, just to appease Esme and we were soon leaving the house and on our way. We would all be taking separate cars as all the couples wanted to travel alone. I wasn't complaining, it just meant more time alone with my Edward.

"Have fun!" Esme and Carlisle called from the front door. They were both waving.

"Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad!" Alice waved back. I laughed at her as Edward helped me into the Volvo and pretty soon we were on the road. Edward put some background music on whilst we drove and we drove in silence for about 5 minutes just enjoying the company of each other. I knew that the drive to the school wouldn't be long and I would have to walk on these heels again soon. I groaned internally at the mere thought of it. I was confused however when Edward suddenly pulled to the side of the road half way through the journey and turned the engine off. He quickly undid his seatbelt and turned to face me. My eyebrows furrowed. What was wrong?

"Is everything -" I tried, but was quickly cut off when his lips crashed onto mine. I closed my eyes and was immediately lost in his kiss. I fumbled around and undid my seatbelt so that I could fully face my Edward and be closer to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he threaded his hands through my hair and I moved my lips and tongue with his. I had no idea what had caused this, but I wasn't going to stop him anytime soon. He had completely overtaken my senses. All I could see, feel, smell, hear, was Edward. We slowly pulled away, the two of us breathless, and he rested his forehead on mine. He caressed my cheek with his finger tips.

"I'm sorry," he started. "I just had to do that."

"It's fine," I said, grinning like an idiot. "I quite enjoyed it!"

He pulled back and looked into my eyes. "It's just… you look so beautiful tonight, love. I had to let you know that."

I giggled at his kind words. "You don't look too bad yourself."

"Good to know," he smiled. "It killed me to watch you walk down those stairs earlier and not be able to say or do anything."

"I know," I told him. "I felt the same."

"You really do look so beautiful, love," he smiled.

"Thank you," I whispered before moving to kiss him again. It was a quick soft kiss and soon enough, we were on our way again, approaching the school where the dance was held.

The car park was full when we arrived, but we managed to find a spot. Edward parked up before helping me out of the car like a true gentleman. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before holding my arm in his and leading me over to the gym where the dance was being held. I could see the flashing lights and hear the loud music and I began to tense up. We approached the gym and entered. It was full of people dancing and was very loud. There were decorations strung everywhere and the DJ was on a stage, playing all of the music. I couldn't believe the transformation, it didn't even look like the gym anymore. I began to bite my lip.

"You ok, love?" Edward asked me over the loud music, squeezing my arm in reassurance.

"Wow, you are seriously trying to kill me."

He chuckled at my words. "Don't worry. I'm here. You'll be fine." He squeezed my arm again. I took a deep breath and nodded. He was right. Edward would stay by my side for the whole night and all would be well. Plus, if Edward had to go somewhere, I could easily stay with one of the other Cullens. I was panicking over nothing, I just needed to relax and enjoy the night. We began to walk further into the gym.

People were dancing all around us, talking, laughing and just generally having fun. The music was good and the atmosphere was a generally happy one. I saw a few people whom I recognized from my classes and many people who I didn't know at all. I spotted Angela and Ben and both Edward and I waved at them. I even spotted Mike Newton dancing with Lauren Mallory. I didn't know who I felt the most sorry for… actually, I did. Mike. I wouldn't wish Lauren on my worst enemy.

_Well…_

"Do you want to go and get a drink?" Edward shouted over the loud music. I nodded my head and we walked over to the refreshments table. He poured me a glass of punch and I downed it in one gulp.

"Nervous?" he laughed, pouring me another.

"A little," I replied, only taking a sip of this drink. Edward poured himself a glass of punch and took a sip too.

"Hmmm… it's good stuff," he smiled, gesturing to the drink.

"Yeah, it's not bad," I smiled back, taking another sip.

"Relax, love," Edward told me sweetly, standing rather close to me. I could feel the warmth radiating from him. He could still sense my reluctant mood. "You look beautiful and every guy in this room is going to be jealous at the fact that it's me with you tonight and not them. I want you to have fun."

His wonderful comment made me blush and I felt him discreetly rub his nose against my cheek. "You really have no idea what that blush does to me, Bella."

I smiled at his words, ironically making me blush even more, and they actually made me relax a little and I felt less tense. I was going to enjoy this party, no matter what my feelings were. I would easily be able to do that with Edward by my side. I kept seeing him look at the dancers in the crowd and I could see how much he wanted to be out there. So I did something that I thought I would never do in the history of the world.

_Are you serious?_

Even my sub-conscious could not quite believe what I was going to do. But the words fell from my mouth anyway and I put on a brave face as I said them.

"Uh, Edward? Can… can we, uh, dance?"

He seemed shocked. "You're actually asking to dance?" Edward asked incredulously, excitement clearly in his eyes.

"Yeah, I guess I am," I said, not quite believing I had asked him to _dance_.

"Are you sure?" he asked. It was very sweet that he was checking on me. He knew how much I hated dancing.

_That's an understatement! You despise it!_

She was right - again, but Edward really wanted to dance, so I would do it for him.

"Yes," I nodded happily. "I'm sure."

_Liar!_

My sub-conscious didn't have any confidence or faith in me, but Edward sure did. And I was doing this for him anyway, not her.

"Ok, anything for you, love," he smiled before quickly kissing my hand, making sure that no-one saw, and he led me to the dance floor.

I kept my breathing steady as we walked to the dance floor, my nerves really hitting their peak. Sure, I was going through with this and the smile on Edward's face made my heart melt, but that didn't mean I wasn't scared. We finally stopped in the middle of the dance floor and Edward turned to face me. He put both of his hands on my waist whilst I put mine on his shoulders. He pulled me as close to him as possible and we began to move and sway to the music.

"This… this isn't so bad," I said, trying to smile, but failing miserably due to my nerves. "I think."

The things I did for my Edward!

"It's ok, Bella. I won't let anything happen. Just pretend we are dancing in my bedroom again. It really is so _easy_."

"That's easy enough for you to say," I told him, a little too angrily. "There weren't hundreds of other people with us in your room."

He chuckled to himself then, touching my cheek with his so that he could whisper into my ear. "You don't know how cute you look when you're angry, love."

"Stop changing the subject!" I told him, even though his words had made my legs turn to jelly. I had no idea why I had let him lead me to the dance floor.

_Hang on, this was your idea!_

_Oh, right…_

"Bella," he said, looking at me then with those smoldering green eyes. "Do you trust me?"

"More than anyone else on the planet," I replied.

"Then trust me now. I mean, we have been dancing for 5 minutes and you haven't slipped up once."

My eyes widened as the realization of his words struck me. He was right! I hadn't put a foot wrong yet and I was still standing upright. Edward had no injuries from me and everyone else around me was still safe. I was dancing!

"You're right!" I exclaimed, feeling happy, smiling from cheek to cheek.

"See? I told you," he grinned. "And that's the smile I like to see." I blushed at his words and he moved to whisper in my ear again. "But I prefer that blush so much more."

I quickly managed to kiss his cheek whilst he whispered in my ear and we continued on swaying to the music, just the two of us together. No-one else noticed us together really; they were all too busy with their own lives to notice that Edward and I had come to the dance together. We were able to just be by ourselves, wrapped up in our own little bubble, in our own little world.

We danced a few more times after that and once again, I managed to stay on two feet. I was quite proud of the progress that my dancing had made tonight and I was getting evermore confident about it as the night wore on. We managed to find the rest of the Cullens at some point in the night and Emmett managed to get a dance out of me. He kept picking me up and twirling me around. Yet as much as it made me dizzy, I couldn't stop the laughter that escaped my lips. I was having so much fun and for the first time since what happened with my parents, I felt genuinely happy. I had good home with fantastic people, wonderful new friends and the most amazing man in the world was in love with me. All was good.

After mine and Edward's fourth dance of the night together, he spoke.

"Listen, I need to go to the bathroom."

"Ok, I'll come with you and wait outside."

"You sure."

I nodded and he grinned, taking my hand. We walked as close together as we could without it looking suspicious and we finally reached the male bathrooms. Edward faced me.

"I'll be as quick as I can. I love you."

I grinned. "I'll be waiting… and I love you too, Edward." He quickly kissed my hand and he entered the bathroom. The corridor where the bathrooms were was fairly quiet, with only a few people passing by. The music was a lot quieter there too and it gave me time to think.

My smile was literally tattooed onto my face. I had no idea how I had gotten so lucky in finding Edward, but I was beyond thankful for him. He was the only person on earth to actully get me to dance infront of a school full of people. No-one had ever done that, only him. He was just so wonderful and happy and funny and perfect. He was the sun in my life - he constantly brought me warmth and happiness. I loved him so much and I was actually eager to dance with him again.

Yes, all was good... or so I thought.

A voice suddenly came from behind me.

"Well, well, well. Long time no see… Isabella."

I froze.

I gasped as my eyes widened and I could feel tears suddenly brimming up in them at the sound of _that _voice. My breathing was heavy and it felt as if my chest was constricting with each breath I took, making it harder to get each one out. I felt my body shaking in panic and I knew that in that moment, everything I had worked for in the past few months, the happy life I had made for myself, the relationships I had forged with the people I had met, finding my perfect sunshine, would all be destroyed… all by the sound of one voice. I had no idea how he had found me, but he had all the same and I knew then that everything was coming to an end.

Trying to be as brave as possible, I turned around to see who the voice belonged to. I didn't need to see the person, I knew already who it was.

He was just as I remembered him. A scruffy leather jacket, undone to show a bit of his chest, tatty jeans, ripped in places, giving him some sort of 'bad boy' look and scuffed up sneakers were on his feet. His long greasy blonde hair was tied back in the same pony tail that it had been in before and his arms were folded across his chest. The persona of Isabella Swanson was now dead, I was Bella Swan again.

I hated this person more than anyone else on this earth and as he tilted his head, I saw that familiar smug grin appear on his lips. I gazed into the eyes of my mother's killer and my father's kidnapper, knowing that my time was up...

I was no longer hidden…

The predator had caught his prey…

He had found me…

James.


	21. Sacrifice

_Hello!_

_A huge thanks to Cullen0-Lover-101, gaby47, pizza003, Edward cullen loves me forever, britbrat35892587, Sylvia Cullen, lionlambnatz, Cetababe, HealThisHeartbreak, Icestorm51, LyndsBaby, twinkletwi, Caitlin S., Flamepelt3377, TeamEdward76, t-shirt n pants, Tommygrl1997, RunEdwardRun, ilovemyhorse, secretobsession7, Hyper Mufasa, cnelson, mindreadingweirdo, WilD TeeNTaLker, twilightluver39, lilmaher, Adrianna1120, m-face and pinklady34 for their reviews. Thank you so much, guys!_

_I'm finally on Twitter! It took me long enough lol. I aim to keep everyone posted on how chapters are coming along on there, any updates I post and I will answer any questions you have. The link is on my profile page if you are interested :D_

_A lot of you were shocked by the end of the last chapter and I'm glad… that's what I wanted! I don't really want to give anything away, but I'm afraid its all downhill for Bella from now. I hated doing this to her, but it needs to be done for the story to go the way I've planned it. Remember, this story is angst after all, but I have planned a happy ending._

_This chapter is named after "Sacrifice" by T.A.T.U. I really like their music if I'm honest, its catchy._

_Enjoy…_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight… but I want it so much!!_

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

"How the hell did you find me?" I asked the poor excuse for a man that stood in front of me. I put on a brave face, not wanting to show how horrified I truly was at his sudden appearance.

"Now, now, Isabella," James smiled. "Is that anyway to speak to an _old friend_."

_Old friend? "_You make me sick," I said, disgusted with his choice of words. He was no friend of mine.

"Oh, I'm hurt," he mocked before sniggering to himself. He took a step closer to me and in the same movement, I took a step back. I kept my breathing steady even though my heart was beating erratically in my chest, the sound echoing throughout my body. I would not show weakness.

"How did you find me?" I repeated sternly.

"All in good time, sweetheart. First, I think we need to have a little talk, don't you? Do some catching up perhaps?"

He was clearly insane if he thought I was going to speak to him. After what he had done, he thought I was that stupid? Not a chance! I shook my head. "No way. Stay the hell away from me."

"But your ignorance wouldn't bode to well for _daddy_, would it? He's always asking about you after all."

That caught my attention. My breathing hitched at the mention of my father and the threat this man had just posed to him. This guy would have a lot to say and if it involved anything about my father or my mother's death, I was willing to hear him out. I was apprehensive at first, but then I spoke. "I'm listening."

"That's better… but not here," he said as his eyes followed a couple who walked past. "Too many people."

Whoa! There was no way I was going to let him get me on my own. This guy was capable of murder, I _couldn't_ trust him... I _didn't _trust him. I just wanted Edward to come out of the bathroom. James wouldn't dare do anything with him here.

_Oh god, Edward!_

What if he hurt Edward… or even worse? James could kill him so easily, so simply and he wouldn't bat an eyelid. The guy was insane. If my father and mother couldn't help me, how could Edward? He would try his hardest for me, to protect me and keep me safe, of course he would. He would more than likely _die_ for me if the situation arose, but he was just one man. I would never put him in that position, I loved him too much for that. For his protection and his safety, I would have to follow James to hear what he had to say. The idea was crazy… mental… insane even, but if this kept those I loved safe, then so be it.

"Fine," I said reluctantly, keeping my frightend voice steady. "But let me text Edward first to tell him where I'm going." I pulled out my phone.

"Edward? Oh, the little boyfriend I saw you with." That oh-so-familiar sinister smug grin appeared on his lips.

"Don't you dare go anywhere near him!" I exclaimed, taking a step forward. This time it was James who retreated. I had no idea where that sudden outburst had come from, but I knew that it was to do with the fact that he was threatening my Edward. I would never let him lay a single finger on him. Never. He would have to kill _me_ first.

"Feisty," James mocked, raising an eyebrow.

I glared at him before I finally calmed down and texted Edward.

**Talking to Rachel from history. Won't be long. Go find Alice and I'll be right there. Love you xxx**

I sent the message and put my phone back into my clutch bag before looking at James. "Lead the way."

"Very well," he smiled before turning on his hell. I followed him, having no idea at all as to where he was leading me. I knew that I would have to stay alert and keep my eyes open. At no point could I let my attention sway from him.

_Be careful, Bella._

I would be. He wouldn't dare do anything with a school full of people so close. He was clearly insane, but surely he couldn't be that stupid that he'd hurt me infront of so many people. I just wanted to hear what he had to say and to see if there was any news about Charlie. Then I would go to the police and tell them he had found me. I'd get the guy locked up. I would be fine and I would be careful. Charlie was a cop after all, I knew how to handle myself. It was in my blood.

_And if all else fails, scream at the top of your lungs?_

Yeah, scream at the top of my lungs. Good plan!

James led me outside and the cold harsh wind whipped around the bottom of my dress, making it a little harder to walk. The heels weren't helping, so the wind was just making a bad situation even worse. We were out of the gym, but not totally out of sight. I felt a little safer knowing that we weren't totally inconspicuous. We stopped by the bike sheds and I wrapped my arms around my body as James turned to face me. He had his arms crossed across his chest and his face was smiling. I hated his cocky attitude, he was pathetic.

"Looks like it's just you and me, Isabella… all alone."

"How did you find me?" I repeated for the third time tonight. I refused to let him distract me with silly small talk. I just kept Edward and my father in my mind and I was filled with confidence. I would not let his cocky words sway me.

"It wasn't that hard to find you considering the Volturi has men everywhere. It was just a case of looking in the right places. The police didn't hide you as well as they thought they had."

I gasped at his words, letting them sink in. Had it really been that easy? Was my secret hiding place really not that secret? I felt the bile rising in my throat at the fact that I had been so easy to find, so easy to stumble across. The whole time I had been in Forks, I had never been safe, never. I knew then that no matter where I went, there was nowhere else for me to hide. I could go to the other side of the world and I would be found. I could no longer run. It made me wonder how long ago they had actually found me. This really was the end.

"Oh my god," I whispered to myself, covering my hand with my mouth. I was in utter shock.

James merely chuckled.

"You seem frightened."

"I hate you," I said to him, putting as much venom into my voice as I could. He was enjoying my suffering. He seemed to revel in it.

"Is that anyway to speak to me after I've come all this way to see you?" he smiled.

_Bastard!_

"Where is my father?" I asked then, the tears brimming in my eyes, blurring my vision only slightly.

"Daddy's fine. He misses you, asks about you all the time. It's getting quite irritating really."

"You better not have hurt him," I said.

"What if we have? What are you going to do about it?"

I clenched my fists together until they turned white. I just wanted to hit him, punch him, make him hurt in some way so that he could feel the pain that I had. I wanted him to suffer too, if only for a little while. But there was nothing I could do about it. I was happy enough threatening him, but when it came to it, I would never be able to fight him. He was a fully grown man, capable of murder and I was just a weak little girl, too afraid to dance. He could do as he pleased and I could do nothing. My threats were empty and I was powerless.

My shoulders slumped and I let out a sigh of defeat.

"That's what I thought," he told me. "Now, let's talk about what I came to all this way to say."

He caught my attention then. If he didn't want to speak about my father, he obviously wanted to speak about me. The mere thought of that terrified me… frightened me like nothing before. I shivered a little.

"And what's that?" I said, playing dumb, worried about where this was going. This conversation would not bode well for me. It didn't take a genius to figure that out.

"Why, _you _of course, Isabella."

"What about me?" I said, my voice breaking at the end. My nerves and fear were showing. He sniggered and I knew that he could see me weakening.

"I want to discuss what I'm going to do with you."

I froze and I stopped breathing. This really was it. He had come for me. He was going to take me away from Forks, from the Cullens, from Edward. There was no escape. I hadn't even said goodbye to them all, I would never see them again. My eyes would never look upon my precious Edward again. Never would they wonder over his glorious bronze hair, get lost in his deep green orbs, see that lop sided grin that I loved so much. It was all over. James would probably kill me, like he did my mother. That way he could be rid of me quickly and he'd probably enjoy it too. But I knew he wouldn't. He would prolong my suffering and probably enjoy that even more. I knew that he would take me to wherever my father was.

"L-like what?" I asked timidly. I couldn't hide my fear anymore. It had seeped through, showing him what I really was - weak.

"My orders are to bring you back to the Volturi headquarters in Phoenix with me," he explained. "And I plan to follow through with them."

"No," I said, shaking my head. "You can't."

"But I can. Orders are orders."

"Why are you doing this?" I whispered as the tears fell down my cheeks. I was unable to hide them anymore. I was falling apart right in front of him. I was doing what I didn't want to do. He had me and he knew this.

"I'm just doing what I'm told, Isabella," he smiled, mocking me again.

"And what if I don't want to go?" I said, attempting to be brave one last time. It was pointless really, he knew that I was terrified.

_Stay strong, Bella!_

"Well, daddy would have to pay the price for that." His grin was sinister and my heart sunk at his words.

He was threatening my father, the only family I had left. Charlie would fight for me and so I knew that I would fight for him. This was blackmail. He knew that I would come running to my father's aid, so he used my weakness against me. He was more sick than I first thought. I had no choice, I had to comply with whatever James said. I didn't want to, I wanted to turn around, run right back into that gym and straight into Edward's warm and loving arms. Yet, I knew I would have to go with James. I had lost, the Volturi had won. It was the end.

"Fine," I said, dropping my head in defeat, sobbing. "I'll go."

"Good choice," he said. "Your father shall be pleased. You have three days."

"Huh?" I said, lifting my head to look at him. This was a sudden turn of events. What was he talking about?

"In three days, I shall be returning to Volturi headquarters, with you in tow. You have no choice in the matter, you will conform to what I say. But before you go, you could say I have…" He smiled then. "… a little _job _for you."

"What do you mean?" I asked warily. The tears had stopped now and I was just full of confusion. I didn't like his tone of voice. I knew that whatever he had planned was just going to make me suffer more.

"That little family you like so much? They cannot know about you leaving. You have to be discrete about you coming with me. Get out of there un-noticed and without question."

I nodded at his request, thinking the job he had planned for me wasn't too hard. Leaving them would be awful, terrible, horrible, but doing it un-noticed shouldn't be too difficult. I could easily come up with some excuse to leave the house without anyone getting suspicious. That didn't seem too bad. But his job description wasn't yet finished.

"And that little boyfriend of yours? Break up with him."

His words hit me like a bullet, a bullet that tore right through my heart, leaving me for dead.

_Leave Edward? _

I couldn't.

No way.

Never.

He was my life, my soul-mate, my everything. I lived for him, I breathed for him, I existed for him. It would kill him, tare him up inside. By doing that, I'd break his heart and mine and I could never hurt him. Never. I would never forgive myself if he was hurt because of me. Leaving him without a goodbye would be bad enough, but breaking up with him? I couldn't. His smiling face came to the front of my mind and it made this all that more difficult. Threatening me with my father was hard, telling me to leave the Cullens was horrible but telling me to break up with Edward, it would kill me.

"What?… No… No way… I won't do it… you can't -"

"Tough," he said, pushing me against the bike sheds and pressing his body into mine. His aim was to scare me and he was definitely succeeding.

"But why? Please, just let me leave without notice. I can't hurt him, I just can't," I tried… no, I pleaded.

"Like I said, Isabella, I have orders. I'm just following them through. If he thinks you still love him, he'll follow you when you go and I can't have that. No-one can follow you, Isabella. Tell little _Edward_ that it's over and then leave. Got that?"

He had me. He had broken me. I had no choice but to do as he said. My sub-conscious had disappeared, retreated somewhere in my head, probably to cry her heart out. She had no useful advice to give me and no witty comeback to shout at me with. I felt totally alone. I sobbed then and nodded in surrender. "Yes."

I hated this man with a passion. First he kills my mother, then he kidnaps my father and now he is telling me to leave Edward. He had ruined my life and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. How I was going to tell Edward that I didn't love him, I didn't know. I'm the world's worst liar, and the fact that I have to tell the man who owned my heart that I didn't love him was going to be torture. He was my Edward and I loved him with every fiber of my being. I was going to have to hurt him and we would both suffer for it.

"And if you try to call the police about this in the next three days, well, like I said before, daddy will pay the price for that, as will that precious family you love so much."

There was no way that he was going to threaten the Cullens. They were good people, kind enough to take me in during my hour of need. They had done nothing wrong. He would never hurt them.

"Don't you dare touch them," I growled. My confidence was slowly creeping back.

"Well, keep your mouth shut and I won't have to, will I?" he mocked. God I hated him!

"Fine," I said. "I won't say anything."

"Good. Now, I will be sending you a text message in three days time telling you when and where to find me. You will leave the house without question and you will meet me. Failure to do so will result in… well, I've told you my threats." That sickening smug grin was on his face again.

I had no idea how he had gotten my phone number, but if he was capable of finding me whilst I was in the Witness Protection Programme, he was capable of anything. How he had found my number was the least of my worries at the moment anyway.

"Alright," I nodded, my tears blurring my vision. My consent had been given. I was going to go through with it. I had no other choice, I was doing it to save Charlie, the Cullens, Edward and myself. I had to protect them all and if this was the only way to do that, then so be it. I had to forget about myself, I had to think about those I loved. Their safety came first.

It was a sacrifice I had to make.

"Bella?" I suddenly heard someone shout. My head shot up at the sound of Alice's voice. "Where are you?" They were looking for me. I wiped away the tears, hoping that my eyes weren't too red or puffy.

"Looks like someone wants you… _Bella_," James smiled.

"You're a monster," I whispered.

James just sniggered. "Remember, break up with your boyfriend and leave un-noticed. I'll see you in three days. Until then…" He gave me a wink and then he was gone, lost in the darkness of the night, the man who held my destiny.

"There you are!" Alice said, running to my side. "Edward wondered where you had gotten to. Who was that guy?"

"Uh," I started, trying to put on my most bravest face. I knew how perceptive Alice could be, so I knew I would have to work over-time on lying. "He's an old friend from Phoenix. He knows Rachel from history. He came to visit her for a few days and we bumped into one another. Sort of got talking."

_Yeah, that would do! _

"Oh, well come on. It's cold and I want to dance," Alice said as she grabbed my hand and led me to the gym. I followed her, trying to formulate a plan in my head.

I had three days, three short days in which to do all this to the Cullens and then I would probably never see any of them again. After everything they had done for me, welcomed me into their home, looked after me, treated me like family, and this was how I was going to repay them. I would miss them, they were my _family _after all and I loved each and every one of them with all my heart. Yet now I was going to have to hurt them all. What they didn't know was that I would be saving them by doing it.

My breathing hitched when we entered the gym and I saw Edward conversing happily with Emmett. Seeing him there, so happy and carefree made me realize how difficult this task was going to be. Fighting back the tears, I looked him up and down, committing everything about him to memory. His unruly bronze hair, his piercing green eyes, his strong jaw line and his luscious pink lips. I memorized his tall, lean, yet muscular frame and how his hands lay sluggishly in his pockets. He laughed at something Emmett said and I could hear the beautiful noise even over the loud music. I would remember him like this forever, happy and joyful. I had to keep this side of him in my mind because the side I would be seeing when I told him it was over would be heartbreaking.

He noticed me walking towards him and his eyes lit up like a child's on Christmas day. He really was making this so much harder.

"Bella!" he exclaimed when he saw me. He embraced me in a hug and his warmth made me feel so content. I breathed in his refreshing scent, my most favorite scent in the whole world and tried to commit that to memory too. I couldn't believe what I was actually going to do to him. "Where did you get to, love?"

"Just talking to a friend," I told him. "Listen, can we dance?"

"Sure," he smiled as he took my hand and led me to the dance floor.

I just needed to be alone with him now. Just him and I, together, away from everyone else. We began to sway to the music and I held onto him as tightly as I could, pressing my face into his chest, not caring who saw us, knowing that soon, he would be ripped away from me. He began humming my lullaby in my ear and I tried to keep the tears at bay. He was making it so hard! I held him tighter.

But I had three days to tell him. Surly I could spend just tonight with him, happy and carefree. Just Edward and Bella, the way its supposed to be. One final night before I went and ruined it all. And I knew exactly how I wanted to spend it. I wasn't sure what he would say about it, but I would try to convince him that I wanted to do this. I needed to be as close to him as possible and this was the one way to do that.

"Edward?" I asked as we swayed to the music.

"Yes, love?"

"Can we go home?"

He pulled back and looked at me then, concern in his eyes. "Of course. Is everything ok?"

_No. _"Yes, I just… I'm tired."

"Ok," he smiled sweetly. "Let me say goodbye and then we can go."

We finished our dance before we said our goodbyes. Everybody seemed to believe that I was tired and we managed to get out of there easily, which surprised me. I was pretty sure that we would get some sort of interrogation from Alice. The drive home was quiet, yet comfortable and it didn't take long since there was very little traffic on the roads at night. We pulled up to the house and I noticed Esme and Carlisle's car was gone. Edward must have noticed too as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion over where they were. He quickly got out of the car, opening my door for me and soon enough we were in the house. There was a note in the kitchen on the island counter. It was in Esme's handwriting.

**Gone for dinner. Be back later tonight. Love mom and dad x.**

His parents were gone. It was almost as if the evening was playing right into my hands. Now I could definitely do what I had planned. I had to do it tonight, there was no other time for it. It had to be now.

"Right, love. I'm going to get out of this damn suit, ok? Then we can do something together."

"Ok," I smiled. I followed him upstairs, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and went into my own room to take the dress off. I took a deep breath and figured out how to go about this. I knew I had to say the right thing so that my plan would work as I knew that Edward was very protective of me. I knew that he would go through with it, we both wanted it after all. If this really was it for me and Edward, I had to do it now.

"Edward," I shouted, putting my plan into action. "Can you help me?"

He was at my door in seconds. He walked straight in knowing that he didn't have to knock. He was free to come into my room whenever he liked. He was wearing a pair of sweats and a wife beater. "What's wrong?"

"Can you unzip my dress for me? I cant reach."

"Ok, love," he chuckled before walking over to me. He kissed my cheek before he put his hands on the zip.

"Wait!" I suddenly said.

He stopped his movements. "Why, what's wrong?" he asked.

_Right, Bella. This is it. You can do it. Go girl…_

I took a deep breath before turning round to face him. I suddenly felt a surge of confidence hit my body when I saw his glorious face. "I want you to do something else for me first."

"Like what?"

He had asked me and there was only one answer I wanted to give. My sub-conscious was on my side, cheering me on, making me feel brave and I knew that it was now or never. He wanted an answer.

So I gave him one.

"Make love to me, Edward."

There, I had said it. It was out in the open and he could make of it what he would.

He stared at me then, breathing steadily. I looked at him, trying to see what he was thinking, to gauge his reaction, but his face was giving nothing away. Whilst I knew he wasn't expecting me to ask that, he would be happy to comply with it. I wanted him and he wanted me. It was the final way to show our love for each other. If we were to be ripped apart, it had to be now. I just wanted to show him how much I really loved him before I broke his heart.

"Are you sure, love?" he asked me, caressing my cheek.

"Yes," I said, nodding. "Please make love to me, Edward."

His lips were suddenly on mine, kissing me with want and love and I moaned into the kiss. He wanted this just as much as I did and tonight we would finally be together. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he gripped my hips tightly, pulling me to him. The kiss was slow... it was sensual... it was Edward.

"I love you, Bella," he whispered against my lips. "So much."

"I love you too, Edward. Please, just remember that," I replied before our lips met again. He unzipped my dress and I stepped out of it. He picked me up, allowing me to wrap my legs around his waist, before leading me to my bed, his lips never leaving mine.

If this perfect life was going to be shattered, I at least wanted it to bow out with one wonderful and perfect moment.

I got my wish and that night, Edward and I finally became one.


	22. White lies

_Hi!_

_Thanks to Tommygrl1997, HealThisHeartbreak, KateLovesEdward1, lilmaher, twilightluver39, Adrianna1120, pizza003, Cullen0-Lover-101, mindreadingweirdo, Caitlin S., bells254, pinklady34, ilovemyhorse, cnelson, t-shirt n pants, lionlambnatz, RunEdwardRun, SwiftMotionGirl, gaby47, twinkletwi, lin stiernet, TeamEdward76, WilD TeeNTaLker, secretobsession7 and EdwardsAngel08 for their reviews. Thank you so much guys._

_The guilt I felt for this chapter was immense when I was writing it and I was almost in tears. But this is the way it has to go in order for the story to go as planned. But don't worry, there will be a happy ending, I would hate myself if I didn't give this story one! Just remember, it is angst. Don't be angry with Bella, all she wants to do is save her father and she knows what James is capable of, so she has to do this._

_This chapter is named after "White lies" by Mr Hudson. He is friends with Kanye West apparently and he is quite popular in England. Check him out!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but for this chapter, Edward I am so sorry!!!!!_

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

Three days…

That's all I had. Three short measly days. Most people would think that's a life time, not short at all and they would wonder what I was worrying about. But my time was restricted. When you have to do what I have to do, it's the most pathetically short time in the world. How was I going to do it? How was I going to break his heart?

I lay in my bed, hugging the quilt to myself, staring at the blank white ceiling, pondering over this whilst the beautiful angel in question slept soundly next to me. His naked chest rose and fell gently and his closed eyes allowed his eye lashes to create the most mesmorisong shadow upon his perfect face. He looked so content whilst he slept, so carfree with not a single trouble in the world, not knowing what was about to hit him, not knowing what I was about to do to him.

A single tear slipped down my cheek and fell onto my pillow.

The hate I felt for James right now was immense. I hated him… I despised him… I loathed him… he was evil. He was making me destroy not only my life, but Edward's too. I would allow him to destroy everything in my life, but to destory my Edward's life? He was vile. He was making me hurt all those whom I loved, I had to destroy all the relationships I had formed, I had to ruin everything. I hated him. However, the anger I felt was nothing compared to sadness, despair and downright pity I felt with regards to my situation. Nothing could cover that up. Nothng.

But I had no choice in the matter, I needed to find Charlie. If he were in my position, he wouldn't stop until I was found, so I knew that I had to do the same for him. He was my father and I loved him; I would not let anyone harm him. I had to leave, not just to find my dad, but to protect the Cullens and keep them safe from the Volturi. I knew that James's threats weren't empty. He would hurt them if I didn't do as he asked. Hell, he had murdered my mother in front of me! I couldn't trust him and there was no way that I was going to risk the Cullens, just to call his bluff.

He wasn't bluffing.

Edward suddenly shuffled next to me. I turned my head to see him, but he was still asleep, only moving to get comfy. I smiled.

Last night had been just… wow. I couldn't find words to describe it, perfect just wasn't enough. It had single handedly been the most amazing and loving experience of my life and I would be forever in Edward's debt for giving that night to me. I had never felt so loved in my life than I had last night. The world stopped around us and the only thing I could see, hear, feel, was Edward. He had completely taken over my senses last night. He had been so loving, so gentle, making sure that I was alright the whole time. It was all about us, just the two of us showing our love as much as we could. Every kiss, every touch, every caress had been pure perfection and it would only make what I was about to do that much worse.

How was I going to do it? How could I lie to the man I loved?

I had a plan, but whether it would work would be a totally different question. I wanted to be as gentle as possible when telling him and I hoped my plan would allow me to achieve that.

_How can you be gentle? You're going to break his heart!_

My sub-conscious was not helping right now, but I knew that she was just as hurt as I was. She was being angry, purely to stop herself from crying. She had been mourning all night, just as I had.

The plan, as silly as it sounded, was to feign ignorance. Ignore him for the next three days and show no affection until he got bored of me. That way, he would break up with me before I could do it to him. I was mentally prepared for what was going to happen, so I would rather he break up with me instead. It would hurt me a damn sight less than it would hurt him.

_It's never going to work._

It probably wouldn't work, but it was all I had. It was worth a shot if anything. And by the end of the three days, if that didn't work, well… I would just have to tell him it was... over. It was the last resort if all else failed. I didn't want to do it, but it had to be done regardless.

If that was the way, then so be it.

I felt the tears brimming in my eyes, but I quickly rubbed them away. For this to work, I had to be strong. I couldn't show weakness or emotion that would get Edward suspicious. He would know what was going on if I did anything to show my plan. I just had to feign ignorance and act very nonchalant. That meant no touching, no kissing, no anything. It was going to be impossible, but I had to do it. I had to keep a distance, make him bored of me. That way, he could end it, not me and it would all be on his terms rather than mine. I wanted it that way, it would hurt him less.

But regardless of how it would happen, it would still happen, and it would still hurt for both of us. I should have known that he was too good to be true, too perfect to have in my life. Life isn't all wonderful endings and happily ever afters, and James had now proved that to me. He had taken everything from me. My life was nothing.

The clock in my room told me that it was 6.30am. It really was far too early to be up, even for me. But I couldn't sleep. How could I when I had so much on my mind? Sleep was the last thing I needed right now, there were other things that came first. I sat up in my bed, being careful not to wakeup Edward. I wanted him to sleep softly and soundly before everything erupted. I gently ran my fingers through his unruly bronze hair and I gently massaged his head. I loved the feel of his hair running through my fingers. It was so soft and warm and I knew that it was the last way that I could show affection towards him. He unconsciously smiled and sighed in his sleep at the touch of my fingers and the sight of it quickened my heartbeat. I bent down and kissed his forehead, hard and long, letting my lips linger on his skin for as long as possible before resting my own forehead upon his.

"I love you," I whispered, feeling the tears build in my eyes. "No matter what happens, please remember that, Edward. I love you so much."

I reluctantly pulled away, drying my tears and quickly got out of bed, putting some clothes on on the way. I put on underwear before finding a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I approached my bedroom door, but turned to see his sleeping form before I left. This really was it. The second I left this room, I couldn't allow anything between us. It had to be as if I was uninterested and I didn't want anything to do with him. My life was over.

"I love you," I repeated before I turned the door handle and left my room, leaving him to sleep peacefully, not knowing what was about to hit him. In that moment, I hated myself almost as much as I hated James.

_You're doing it to save him._

Yet, as much as I kept telling myself that, it didn't stop the pain.

I made my way downstairs and quickly turned the fire on in the living room. It was cold and the heat would be a welcoming comfort right now. I put my hands in front of the heat for a few minutes, letting them become warm before I went to make a hot cup of tea whilst the living room warmed up. I wasn't sure when everybody would be up, but I just wanted some time alone to think everything over. Thoughts were swarming in my head, threatening to burst out at any minute. I could have sworn I was getting a headache. I just needed to make sense of them all and ease my mind somewhat. I entered the kitchen and filled the kettle with water before setting it to boil. Whilst I waited, I got a mug and filled it with what I needed - sugar and a tea bag. I went to the fridge and retrieved the milk before standing in front of the kettle, waiting for it to boil. I left my mug on the island counter and allowed my mind to wander freely.

Suddenly I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist and a chin rest on my shoulder and I was snapped from my thoughts. I swallowed loudly, trying to calm my fast-beating heart down. No matter what I was supposed to do, my heart would always betray me and show my true feelings. My skin tingled wherever he touched. Whether I was ready or not, my plan had to be put into action now.

"Good morning, love," he whispered in my ear. For the smallest of seconds, my eyes fluttered closed at the sound of his oh-so-perfect voice, but I quickly opened them again, getting into the right frame of mind.

"Hi," I said as I loosened myself from his arms and went to retrieve my mug from the island counter. I felt so… guilty as I did it. Even the simplest of moves such as walking out of his arms seemed to be difficult.

_You've got no chance. You're just going to have to tell him it's over, Bella._

No. I wouldn't be fazed so easily. It was going to hurt, no matter what. I just had to lift my head up and get on with it. I picked up my mug and brought it over to the just boiled kettle.

"How are you this morning?" he asked me with the biggest grin on his face. He was playing with a loose strand of my hair, twirling it between his fingers.

"I'm good," I replied as I poured the water into my mug.

"Me too. Last night, Bella… it was… so perfect," he smiled.

"Yeah," I said, stirring the milk into my drink, not paying much attention. "It was great."

I tried to show as little emotion as possible, when really I wanted to jump into his arms, tell him I loved him and just repeat last night all over again. But there was fat chance of that happening now. He didn't seem too bothered about my distant attitude. He was in such a happy mood that he hardly seemed to notice it. I drank my tea continuously, not caring if it burnt my mouth. I had to do something in order to not have to talk to him. This was tough.

My tea was gone all too soon and I found myself putting the empty mug into the sink, ready to be washed. I turned around and gasped when I realised Edward was right behind me, giving me that lopsided grin. My stupid blush decided to make an appearance, obviously not knowing the plan. It was going to give me away! He leaned in, ready to kiss me, but I turned my head last minute and all he got was my cheek. My sub-conscious wiped her brow in relief knowing I managed to save that one quickly. If his lips had touched mine, it would have been all over and I would have just kissed him to death.

"Are you ok, love?" he asked me as he pulled away. "You haven't said much, is everything ok?"

"I'm fine," I said, avoiding eye contact. That pang of guilt hit me again. He didn't deserve this. "I'm going to go do my homework." And with that I walked up the stairs, leaving him in the kitchen.

"Are you sure you're ok?" he asked me again once I reached the top. He looked concerned.

"I'm fine," I repeated. "I just need to get that work done."

"Oh," he said, sounding somewhat defeated. "Ok."

I didn't bother to look at his face, I was too much of a coward. I quickly entered my room, closing the door behind me and leaned back upon it, breathing steady. I didn't even bother to stop the tears, there was no point. They were going to come anyway, no matter what I did. I couldn't believe how hard it was to even do something as simple as turn my head so he kissed my cheek. I couldn't even look at his face, too scared of what I would find in his eyes if I did. I sunk down until I sat on the floor and I pulled my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around my legs before I put my face on my knees and just sobbed.

My attempts had been pathetic, but I knew that they were working. Concern had flooded his voice when he spoke to me. He knew something wasn't right.

The feeble attempts lasted three days.

Those three days had to be the longest three days in my life and time had never hurt so much. We hadn't slept in the same bed at all like we normally did. I told him the pitiful excuse of being ill and just wanting to be alone. My bed had felt so big and so vast without him, but most of all it felt empty and cold without his wanted presence. I was really scrapping the barrel for things to tell him. We were used to ignoring each other at school, so that hadn't been too bad, it was just being at home that was hard. I just wanted to be with him and tell him that I loved him, but those three words hadn't left my mouth since the morning I put my plan into action. I just wasn't prepared for how difficult this whole thing would be.

But what made it worse was that all that I had said and done hadn't worked. He wasn't bored of me and he didn't want to break up with me at all. If anything, he became more concerned and wanted to be with me more. He told me that he loved me more and this just made the plan even harder to put into action.

It was on the third day when my phone beeping woke me up. I rubbed my eyes of sleep and reached over to read the text I had received.

**Forks Church. 10Am. Be there, Isabella.**

So it had finally happened. The time and place where I would meet my destiny had finally been set and in an odd way, I felt somewhat relieved by it. At least I knew how much time I had left with everyone before I had to… leave. I wasn't scared of meeting James, I had now refused to let him hurt me anymore, I was just nervous about meeting the Volturi and I was nervous over what would happen with me. The only bright light in this whole situation was the fact that I would see my father at the end of it.

I found the meeting place quite ironic really. A church was supposed to be a place of safety, a place of sanctuary, a place of warmth. Yet it wasn't so to me. I was meeting my mother's murderer there and he was going to be taking me somewhere, I didn't know where, but it would be dangerous and if I was honest, I knew I wouldn't be coming out of it alive. The Volturi had killed my mum without a second thought, what was stopping them killing me? Meeting James would be the end in more ways than one.

I looked at the time on my phone and saw that it was 7am. All I had was three hours and I still hadn't ended it with Edward. My heart thumped in my chest over the fact that I had to do it now. Just as my sub-conscious predicted, the plan had backfired. I could no longer be a coward. I had to tell him. I straightened myself up and made myself feel more determined before getting out of bed, putting on my slippers and leaving my room.

I quickly made it downstairs and I saw Edward in the living room, sitting alone. The TV was on, but he wasn't watching it. He was staring into space, somewhat deep in thought. I quickly entered the kitchen before he saw me, that horrible feeling of guilt rising in my stomach again. I set the kettle to boil whilst I got the things ready for a cup of tea. This routine that I had perfected over the past three days had become rather therapeutic and had helped relieve some of the stress that I was feeling. I got the milk from the fridge and emptied it into the sink, leaving only enough for my drink. For my plan of escape to work, there couldn't be any milk. Once I had done that, I returned to the kettle. I suddenly heard movement behind me and I knew that he was in the kitchen. I took deep breathes, calming myself down.

_It's ok, Bella. Just tell him. It's going to hurt, but you have to do this this. Keep calm._

My sub-conscious's pep talk seemed to be working and when he approached me, I felt a little more confident.

"Uh, good morning, love," he told me, standing by my side.

"Hi," I said with no emotion and without looking at him, busying myself with making my drink.

He was silent for a while before he spoke. "Did you sleep well?"

"Very well, thank you," I replied, stirring my drink, still not looking at him. I was about to lift it to my lips when Edward suddenly took it from my hands and placed it on the counter. He took my hands in his and stared at me. I refused to meet his eyes. He hesitated before he spoke.

"Bella, what's wrong?" he asked me softly.

"Nothing is wrong," I said. "You keep asking me, but I'm fine."

"Then why won't you look at me?" he asked.

_You have to do it, Bella…_

I looked at him, trying to seem angry. "There, happy?" I was acting cold towards him, speaking to him in an angry tone, but the concern and love I saw in his eyes almost stopped me in my tracks. But I knew I had to be strong, it had to be done.

"Bella-" he started.

"What's the problem, Edward?" I asked with force, finally telling him what needed to be said. "I mean do we always have to look at each other? Do we always have to hold hands?" As I said this, I ripped my hands from his. The guilt hit me like a slap in the face, but I kept the façade up.

"I'm sory, Bella-" he tried again, but I refused to let him speak, I needed to say everything.

"I'm just sick of it. We are constantly together, like all the time. What if I don't want to do that anymore, what if I've had enough of it?"

His eyebrows furrowed and he ran his hand through his hair nervously. "Love, you're not making sense."

"What if I don't want to do any of this anymore?"

"Any… any of what?" he asked and I could see his breathing getting quicker. He was… scared... frightened… terrified of what I was about to say. He knew what was coming. I had to get it over with and I had to do it fast.

"Us," I told him, the guilt finally killing me and the tears brimming in my eyes. "What if I'm… bored of it?"

"Bella, love," he tried, his eyes turning red with unshed tears. "You don't know what you're saying." He stepped forward and took my hands in his once again. Only this time he held on tighter, afraid to let me go. He was in denial. He tried to put a friendly smile on his face, but the tears in his eyes gave away his true emotions.

"I do, Edward," I told him calmly. "I just don't want this anymore. I'm think I'm ready to move on."

Oh god… I had said it. The words had left my lips and had fallen onto his ears. My lie was now out in the open. As I said it, his face contorted into one of pain and fear and the tears fell from his eyes, refusing to stop. I had never seen him looked so hurt and it was all my fault.

"What? But… you can't. I love you, Bella. I love you so much…" He tried to pull me into his arms but I just pulled away. He looked at me then with dejection and shook his head in denial. "But, I love you and you love me too."

He didn't know how true his statement was. He was my life, the meaning of my existence and I now had to throw all of that away. It had to be done. I looked up at him then and shook my head, lying to him, telling him that I had no feelings for him. His eyes widened then and I swear I saw his heart break in that moment. He moved and leaned back on the counter, his breathing labored, his body shaking in fear. I fought back the tears as best I could. Seeing him like this hurt more than I thought it would. He was torn, broken, dead. I wanted nothing more than to run to him and take him into my arms, I wanted to tell him it was all a lie and that I really did love him. But I knew what James would do if I did that.

"What's changed?" he asked me then. "Why now?" His eyes told me that he was pleading.

"Nothing has changed," I told him. "I've thought about it for a few days now and I'm just bored of all this. I've had enough."

"But I love you, Bella. You're my world, my life, we love each other," he begged, sadness washing over his face. I had never seen him so weak and broken before. His tears wouldn't stop and he was falling apart in front of me. He grabbed my hands again, kissing across my knuckles. "Please, Bella. Don't do this. Please."

My breathing hitched at his pleading. I searched for my sub-conscious, seeking help, but she was gone, the guilt and sadness too much for her to handle. She had retreated somewhere, to the back of my mind, too guilty to show her face. I was now on my own, but I knew I had to stay strong.

"I don't want this anymore," I said, fighting tears. "We had fun, but I've had enough. It's over."

He moved forward and placed his forehead on my shoulder, shaking his head. His tears were wetting my pajama top, making it hard to fight off my own tears.

"I love you so much. I love you, I love you, I love you," he kept repeating.

And then I said it, the most awful and terrible thing that I would ever say to Edward Cullen.

"But I don't love you."

He froze. Edward slowly lifted his head from my shoulder and looked me then. I couldn't meet his green orbs, but I saw his red and puffy eyes from the corner of my vision. I felt sick with myself.

"Bella," he whispered in despair, but I stood my ground, dying internally. Nothing had ever hurt so much in my life. I would happily welcome death right now, anything to stop this horrendous pain. My heart had broken too. He suddenly grabbed me and crashed his lips onto mine. He put so much emotion into that kiss, giving me his heart and love at the same time, holding me as close to him as humanly possible, but I refused to respond. I just stayed still until he was finished. He pulled away and placed his forehead upon my shoulder again, everything suddenly making sense to him. "Oh god," he whispered.

Oh god indeed.

He wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me tightly, but I refused to move. I just stood still, letting him have this last moment with me.

"You told me you loved me," he sobbed.

And then I did something low. So low that I hated myself more than James in that moment. But I knew that it would be the one thing that would make him believe my lie, it would make him see that we really were over. I used his own words and fears against him.

"Like you said yourself," I began. "I'm just a witness. A witness who comes to your house and uses you and your family like a doormat until I'm ready to go home."

He froze once again and looked at me with his eyebrows furrowed. "You don't mean that."

"Well, it's the only way I can describe it Edward. I just… I don't want you anymore."

He stumbled back then, leaning on the counter again, his face pale and his eyes red. His tears fell freely now. Mine were threatening to fall at any second and I knew I had to get out of there. He sunk to the floor and just sat there, staring into space, not bothering to wipe away the tears.

"I love you so much," he whispered, but it was more to himself. "I love you more than life itself and I always will." He was officially broken and I couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm sorry, Edward," I said before I left the kitchen and ran upstairs to my room. I jumped onto my bed, lying on my stomach, crushed my face into my pillow and cried my heart out. I had just ended and left the best thing that had ever happened to me. Edward and I, we were no more, it was just Bella again. I had hurt him, ripped his heart out and broken it. Nothing had ever hurt me as much as this did. I was a horrible person.

As the tears slowly stopped after what seemed like hours of crying, I just felt numb. Why should I be allowed to feel anything? It was all my fault and I didn't deserve to feel emotion for what I had done. I didn't deserve anything. After what I had just said, I shouldn't be allowed his love. He was too good for me, too wonderful for me to be allowed to have. I had just left him, abandoned him at his weakest moment. I was sick.

I wasn't sure how long I lay there, but when I looked at my clock, I saw that it was 9.30am. I had 30 minutes before I had to meet James. I moved from my bed like a zombie and pulled out a handbag which I filled with things that I may need. My phone, money, the withered copy of Withering Heights my parents brought me, a few bits of clothing and underwear and the pepper spray Charlie once gave me. I always kept it in my possession. With my coat finally on and my shoes laced, I left the room, _my_ room, which I had come to love, knowing I'd never see it again.

I went down stairs and headed to the foyer and the front door. I could see the kitchen from the front door and Edward hadn't moved from his position on the floor. His tears hadn't stopped and I did everything I could to fight back my own. I couldn't bare to see him like this. I had to go now.

"I… I'm going to fetch some milk," I told him calmly. "I won't be long."

"I love you, Bella," he replied, his voice broken from crying, his eyes boring into mine. "I love you so much."

_I love you too…_

"Goodbye, Edward," I said, realizing that it really was goodbye, once and for all. I would never see him again, it was over. I took one last look at the house that I had come to love so much before I opened the door and walked away from the perfect life I had forged and I went to meet my destiny.

* * *

_A/N: This will be the last update before Christmas, so I just want to say MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone! I hope you all have a great day and get all the presents you want! Enjoy it guys!_

_Also, I am on Twitter now where I will post updates about stories etc. If you are interested, the link is on my profile._


	23. A sadness runs through him

_Hi!_

_Thanks to Tommygrl1997, SpAzZy CaUsE tHaT's Me, bells254, Lolz2kaii9, HealThisHeartbreak, Lindsay, lionlambnatz, pizza003, mindreadingweirdo, t-shirt n pants, Cullen0-Lover-101, Soccerislife08, RunEdwardRun, Adrianna1120, Guidance Cullen, CrazyLittleWriter, Icestorm51, SwiftMotionGirl, cnelson, secretobsession7, ilovemyhorse, WilD TeeNTaLker, TeamEdward76, twilightluver39, Rebecca Cullen 1991 and xxPeace_Love_Smileyxx for their reviews. Thanks guys!_

_I hope you all had a good Christmas! I sure did, though I had more chocolate than I could ever possibly eat, but don't worry, I'm sure I'll eat it all lol ;) I had so much Twilight stuff, I was ready to burst. My smile was so huge._

_This may be the last chapter till 2010. I will try to get another one out before then, but if I don't, HAPPY NEW YEAR!_

_This chapter is named after "A sadness runs through him" by the Hoosiers, another English band. I saw them in concert last year and they were brilliant._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, though I could open a shop with all the stuff I had for Christmas!_

* * *

Edward Cullen's Point of View

What do you do when time stops? When you're trapped between a dream and reality, not quite knowing what is real and what is not. What do you do when everything you live for, breathe for, survive for, disappears? What do you do when the meaning of your very existence, is gone?

She'd left me.

We were no more.

She'd gone.

My Bella, my sweet, precious, beautiful Bella had left me, had broken up with me, had ended it with me and I felt completely and utterly lost within myself.

I felt my heart breaking, and it was the most painful thing in the world.

I had never felt pain like this before, not even when my mother died. It was indescribable and horrendous, but it had taken over my body, mind and soul, attacking every nerve, every bone, every organ, refusing to die down or stop. I struggled to breathe as I sat on the cold kitchen floor, watching her leave me to go to the shop for milk. She looked so beautiful as she stood there, all snuggled up and warm in her coat, but then again, she _always_ looked beautiful. I wanted nothing more than to run up to her, take her into my arms and kiss her till I couldn't kiss her anymore. But I couldn't do that, she wasn't mine anymore. I looked into her deep brown doe eyes and I could have sworn I saw love for me in them, burning bright and fierce, but then I cast my mind back to what she had said to me, and I knew that I was just imagining it.

She didn't love me.

As soon as she said those words, my heart stopped, it shattered into a thousand tiny pieces and I died internally. I never thought I would hear those words from my Bella, not after the way we had been together for the past few months, yet she had said them, loud and clear. She didn't love me and I didn't know why. She had told me that she was bored of it all and that she wanted to move on, but I knew that there had to be something more to it than that. After everything we had shared, they could not be the soul reasons for our breakup. But whatever the case, she didn't harbor the same feelings for me that I did for her anymore.

Only one person could fix my heart now and she had broken it in the first place.

As she left the house, and I told her I loved her, I found that I was on my own, just sitting there. I welcomed the silence; I didn't want anyone right now. The only person I did want was Bella, and since she had left, I preferred the loneliness. If I did have company, I would only be bombarded with questions anyway, questions that I wouldn't answer. I just wanted to be alone to bask in the solitude. I couldn't even find the energy or the strength to get up from the kitchen floor, so I just stayed where I was, not caring who saw that I was there. I would ignore them anyway.

This didn't happen to Elizabeth and Darcy. Bella had once told me that they stayed together forever to live happily ever after and this was not the ending they experienced. It therefore just made mine and Bella's relationship and problems all that more real. This wasn't a story or a dream, it was real life. I was still waiting to wake up from this nightmare, hoping to find Bella sleeping softly in my arms, saying my name in her sleep, smiling unconsciously as I gently ran my hand up and down her arm, but my falling tears and the pain my body felt told me that this was anything but a dream, this was reality and I would have to deal with it.

She had left me.

I didn't even bother wiping the tears away. I couldn't, they were the only physical proof that Bella and I had once had something. My vision was blurred and my eyes were beginning to sting, but I carried on letting them fall away. I didn't even know that I could cry that much, but cry is what I did. It was all I could do.

So the past few months had all been a lie… an act… a way to keep herself occupied. None of what we did meant anything to her, yet it had been my whole life and I felt physically sick at the fact that we had nothing. She didn't love me and she never had. I had poured every emotion, every feeling, every ounce of passion I had into mine and Bella's relationship… and it meant nothing to her. Absolutely nothing.

A rush of sadness and anger ran through me and overtook me and I suddenly punched the kitchen cabinet to my right, the sound of the impact echoing throughout the quiet kitchen. My knuckles burnt, my skin ached, the flesh went a bright red, and I let out a cry which turned into a single sob. This pain was nothing compared to what I was feeling inside… nothing could compare with that. That pain would no doubt scar me for life. It just hurt so much. I put my hand back into my lap.

I should hate her for what she did. She played me and strung me along for months, allowing me to believe that she loved me and that we had something worthwhile, something to hold onto, something to fight for. She had become my world… my life… my entire being and everything I did was for her. She was probably laughing at me behind my back the whole time, especially considering how fast I had fallen for her and believe me, I fell for my Bella… hard. I should despise her and never want to see her again.

But I didn't.

Sure, she didn't feel for me, but I would _always _feel for her. I loved her more than life itself and nothing she told me would stop that. I may not be Bella's soul mate, but she would always be mine. I didn't want anyone else, I would never want anyone else. All I wanted was Bella. No-one else even mattered to me like Bella did. I adored… worshiped… loved her.

I suddenly heard someone's footsteps speed downstairs and I quickly saw my father. He seemed very rushed and didn't even stop for breath as he ran straight for the front door and left the house. I lazily dragged my gaze to the clock in the kitchen and saw through my blurred vision that he was late for work at the hospital. I was grateful that this was the one day that he was. He didn't even notice me in the kitchen and so didn't see my pitiful state. Mom was busy working in her room, Emmett was no doubt snoring his head off and Alice had spent the night at Jasper's, so she wouldn't be home till later on. I would be allowed my peaceful silence after all.

I moved my eyes again and continued staring at the kitchen floor like a zombie. It still didn't feel real. It's one of those things that you see happening to others, but you think will never happen to you. That argument was only strengthened for me by the way Bella and I acted around each other. I thought she loved me, she was so… convincing at it. Even though her feelings hadn't been genuine, I thought they were. So when she said it was over, I had to blink and let it register in my head.

_Bella and I were no more._

We were nothing now, merely acquaintances that happened to live together in the same house, putting up with each others presence until one was ready to leave. I never dreamt that Bella and I would end up that way. Not once.

She had broken my heart and yet the love and emotions that I felt for her burned bigger and brighter than ever.

It was all finally dawning on me. Never again would I hold her in my arms whilst she slept peacefully. Never again would I feel her warm soft lips upon my own, showing me her true emotions. Never again would we make love, giving over to our feelings to show the true affection that we had for each other.

Those thoughts hurt… and they hurt hard.

I couldn't stand them anymore, I wanted them gone, along with the pain, never to grace my mind and body again. I wanted them banished. The only real thing that would stop this hurt had just left the house and she wanted nothing more to do with me, so I chose another option instead. I didn't care how cliché it looked or sounded, but I opened the door to the cabinet I had punched and pulled out the open half-bottle of vodka that sat in there. I opened the lid, tossing it somewhere and quickly swigged a mouthful of the liquid down. It burnt and I let out a small hiss at it, but it made me feel better.

I was going to get drunk to forget my troubles and I would allow the alcohol to numb the pain. Like I said, it was cliché, but I was willing to take any path out of this hell. I took a second swig.

Bella's face filled my mind as I drank. Her happy smiling face was a welcoming sight and I grinned to myself as I cast my mind back to all the time we had spent together and all the memories we had forged. Our time in the meadow together, baking cookies, Christmas, the party at new years, dancing in my bedroom, playing her lullaby, Valentines Day, making love after the Spring Dance, all of it was magical. My time with her had been the most amazing and beautiful time in all my life. Whether she felt love for me or not, I had been happy for the first time in twelve years and it was all down to her.

That's why I could never hate her. Even though she had told me it was all a lie, it had been the greatest time in my life and nothing could take that away from me. I was grateful to her for making my life so happy and for giving me something to live for. I just loved her so much. I took a swig of vodka.

But the only thing that would make it perfect would be for Bella to come back to me, to tell me that she really did love me as much as I loved her and that she wanted to spend eternity with me, just the two of us forever. But as I looked at the closed front door, I knew that was not going to happen. I took another swig of the vodka.

I could tell it was really going to my head now and the pain was starting to numb. The only problem was that as the pain in my heart was numbing, the pounding in my head over the affects of the alcohol was getting worse. I sighed in annoyance. No matter what I did, I was always going to be in constant pain and anguish. But I would rather put up with the headache than the broken heart.

I missed her so much. I wanted her back, I wanted her love, I wanted her heart again. Why did she have to leave me? Why? My tears fell hard as I kept repeating this question over and over again in my head. Why? What had happened for it to all go so wrong? She had been fine, we had been together, we had been happy. I just wanted to know what had changed so much between us for it to all come out now.

I lifted the vodka to my lips in order to take another swig, but nothing came out. I looked at the bottle and found it empty. I dropped it into my lap with a sigh, knowing that even alcohol couldn't stop me from hurting. I had drank over half a bottle of vodka and the pain had only numbed a little, it was still stabbing at me inside. The tears had stopped, my eyes were running dry, yet I sniffed my running nose and proceeded to cry dry tears in silence knowing I would feel this way forever.

I was broken… completely and utterly broken.

The front door suddenly opened and closed with a click and the sound of my sister and Jasper's footsteps filled the house, unwelcomingly filling my oh-so-precious silence. Their voices were happy and carefree with not a single care in the world. It was unfair. They were joyful in each others company, the two of them free to show their affections towards one another, both of them together in perfect harmony and perfect love. Jealously surged through my veins, flowing and filling my body, crashing against my heart like the rough sea, refusing to slow down. Never again would I have that with Bella and I felt oddly angry with my sister and Jasper for having what I didn't. They both entered the kitchen and Alice's cheerful smile disappeared and her face contorted into one of shock when she saw my pitiful state. Her eyes cast down to the empty bottle in my lap before returning to my sad face. I wanted them to go away to leave me to mourn in silence.

"Edward! What are you doing? What's wrong?" She seemed genuinely concerned for me, but I didn't want it. I wanted the loneliness, I wanted the quiet, I wanted my Bella.

"Go away, Alice," I said, my monotonous, slurring voice, broken from my crying, wanting her to leave. My eyes stared at the floor, hoping that my ignorance would deter her. I was afraid that the alcohol had affected my system a little too much.

She took gentle steps towards me. "Edward, have you been drinking? What-"

"I SAID GO AWAY!" I shouted at her, throwing the empty bottle in her direction. Alice screamed as the bottle missed her. It shattered as it hit the floor a few feet in front of her.

I was confused by what happened next since the alcohol dizzied my mind, but when I suddenly became aware again, I found that I was no longer seated on the floor, but Jasper had me by the collar, holding me against the wall, shoving my head against it. His face was angry, red and threatening… he looked frightening. I had never seen my friend so livid or furious in all my life.

"Don't you dare throw anything at her again, Edward! Don't you dare touch her or so help me god, I'll make you pay."

His eyes were determined and his teeth were gritted, his voice ringing truthfully. In that moment, he wasn't my friend, he was a man protecting the girl that he loved from the danger that threatened her - me.

"Go ahead," I slurred. "Do what you want. Punch me, hit me, beat me. Do it. I don't care anymore."

Jasper pulled me away from the wall and shoved me against it again. I banged my head a little and the alcohol made the room spin for a few brief moments before everything became clear again.

"I'm serious, Edward," he threatened.

"So was I," I told him, making eye contact to show the strength of my comment.

His eyebrows furrowed and his grip on my shirt loosened a little as he tried his best to make sense of my confusing words. Yet, as Alice's footsteps were heard approaching us, his grip on me tightened again. I couldn't blame him. I was a threat to the girl he loved and he could not have that. I would do the same for Bella… I had done the same for Bella. When Jacob threatened her at New Years, when he had forced himself upon her and threatened to hurt her, I saved her and sent him on his way. I protected the girl I loved and I could easily sympathize with Jasper for doing the same.

"Edward?" Alice said as she approached us. I moved my eyes from Jasper to my little sister and I saw her eyes full of unshed tears. I automatically felt guilty for what I had done to her. I loved the little pixie and I should never have endangered her in anyway.

"Stay back, Alice," Jasper warned, not tearing his eyes from me. He was speaking about me as if I was some sort of dangerous creature, a monster, something to be feared. Was that what I really looked like in that moment? Was I really that precarious and unstable?

"Edward, what's happened?" Alice asked again, seemingly ignoring Jasper's words of precaution. She finally reached me and placed a warm sisterly hand upon my arm. I became undone in that moment and the tears proceeded to fall from my eyes once again and both my sister and my friend gasped at the sight of them. I did not sob and I made no noise, I just let them fall.

"Dude, what's wrong?" Jasper asked, his face just as worried as Alice's.

"It's over, she's ended it all," I told them, shaking my head in the denial that I still felt.

"You aren't making sense," Alice said, tightening her grip slightly on my arm.

I looked deeply into her worried eyes and I told her what happened. "She's left me, Alice. Bella's broken up with me."

Jasper gasped at my words whilst Alice let out what sounded like a soft whimper. She shook her head in denial, just as I had. Her tears were threatening to spill over and spoil her face.

"But… she couldn't have… no way… why would she-… no," Alice mumbled, her words coming out rapidly, making very little sense.

"Well, that explains the vodka," Jasper spoke quietly to himself, he too shaking his head.

"Why would she though?" Alice squeaked.

"I don't know," I told her as Jasper noticeably loosened his tight grip upon my shirt and let his arms drop to his sides. He probably felt sorry for me, the fool. I didn't want sympathy, I wanted Bella. "She told me she wanted to move on and then she ended it."

I sniffed my nose and began crying tears that I didn't even know I had left. A lump rose in my throat which I couldn't swallow back down and my pain was intensified when Alice collided with me in a sisterly comforting hug.

"I'm so sorry, Edward," she wept. "I can't believe that she would do that." Her tears were soaking my shirt and all I could do was rub her back soothingly. I loved my sister and I knew that she had been really happy for Bella and I, but she was being more emotional than I was. This was my problem, not hers and I didn't want her to steal what was mine - sadness and pain. A tissue was suddenly thrust into my sight, the hand holding it belonging to Jasper.

"Thanks, Jaz," I said, smiling with all the energy I had left. It was barely traceable on my mouth. I took the tissue and wiped my eyes dry before handing to Alice. She proceeded to do the same. Jasper offered me a comforting smile before taking Alice from my arms and holding her in his own. He kept her safe.

After a while, her tears finally stopped and all she could do was sniff her running nose. "W-when did it h-h-happen?" she asked, her voice shaky from crying.

"About 8 o'clock this morning," I said in a monotone voice. "I've been sitting here ever since." I chuckled to myself then. "I've been drinking since 11am."

"You've been drinking for 4 hours?" Alice gasped, wide eyed.

_Hang on… 4 hours?_

"What do you mean, 4 hours? I've been drinking for like 20 minutes."

"No," Jasper said. "It's 3 o'clock in the afternoon, Edward."

"What!?" I said, becoming more alert than I had for the whole day. Had it really been that long? The alcohol in my brain suddenly disappeared at his words and I became stone cold sober. Panic began flooding my body moving the pain over, practically killing it. If it was 3 o'clock and Bella left at about a quarter to ten, then she'd been gone for hours. It didn't take that long to buy milk from the shop. Where was she?

"Alice, phone Bella. Quick!" I shouted.

Alice looked puzzled. "Why? What's- "

I suddenly bolted from the kitchen, my sudden movement making Alice and Jasper jump and I ran upstairs. I didn't even bother letting her finish her sentence, I just needed to see where my Bella was. Perhaps she had come in through the back door and I just hadn't seen her. I ran to her room without knocking and threw the door open.

It was empty.

I walked in, my breathing erratic in panic, my chest rising and falling quickly and looked around the room. Everything seemed normal. Her bed was made, her room tidy, nothing out of place. However, her bag was missing, her phone and purse gone. She was still out. This wasn't normal behavior from Bella. She was always too scared to go anywhere without one of us being with her and if she did go anywhere, she would always phone and tell us where she was. She had been gone for over 5 hours and I had no idea where she had gotten to.

I was about to leave when something shining caught my eye. I spotted my mother's bracelet on Bella's bedside table, the bracelet which showed Bella my love, a love which she did not want. I walked over to it and held it in my hands painfully. It was cold, just like Bella's love for me. Bella and I really were no more. She had taken it off, something she wore everyday to show the world how much she loved me. I put it in my pocket, keeping it safe. I could not think about how she felt for me right now, I had to concentrate on finding her. That was more important.

Practically shaking in worry, I ran back downstairs to the kitchen. Alice had her phone to her ear and she was tapping her foot impatiently. She removed it from her ear and pressed a button before letting out a sigh, seemingly annoyed. "She's not answering."

"What? No," I said, grabbing at my hair in frustration. Where was she?

"Edward?" Jasper tried. "What's going on?"

"I... I don't know where Bella is," I told them, their eyes widening in realization. "She left to buy milk at ten this morning and she hasn't come home. I think... I think she's missing."

"Oh god!" Alice screamed, pressing buttons on her phone again, trying her hardest to get through to Bella.

"She can't have gone far," Jasper said calmly, trying to reassure me, even though I could see clear worry in his eyes. "I'll go by the shops to see if I can see her."

I nodded at him and with that, he grabbed his coat and left the house. I was frightened now. This wasn't right, Bella would never do this. She would never go anywhere without telling us and she definitely wouldn't leave her phone ringing out. Something was wrong and my stomach turned at the thought that something could have happened to her, to my Bella.

"Edward, she's still not answering," Alice said in a shaking voice, her nerves showing through. "What if something has happened?"

My jaw and fists clenched in fear over Alice's words. If something had happened to my Bella, I didn't know what I'd do. She may not love me, but I loved her like nothing else. I couldn't live in a world without her and I wouldn't stop until I found her. She was probably lost like that last time, or had been distracted by something. But a feeling in the pit of my stomach told me that that wasn't it. Wherever Bella was, it wouldn't be good and I could not help the fear that struck me to the core over where she was. I would not stop until she was safe in my arms. She had to be ok.

"Who did this?" my mother suddenly shouted. I turned to look at her as she entered the kitchen and saw her pointing at the broken bottle on the floor. Her face was stern with the look of an angry mother. Yet, when she saw the puffy red eyes and the tears on both mine and Alice's faces, her face became concerned.

"What's wrong?" she asked, walking quickly over to us. Alice burst into tears again, so she looked at me. "Edward?"

I looked over at Alice who had just hung up her phone again after trying to call Bella. She shook her head, her tears falling, telling me there was once again no answer and my heart plummeted and stopped. I was scared that my nervous voice would not be able to make a sound, but I knew I had to be strong for my Bella, so I looked my mother in the eye and told her. My sentence stabbed through my heart and brought back that familiar pain that I had been feeling all day. I would not give up on her, I would find her.

"Mom, Bella's missing."


	24. Monsters

_Hi everybody and a Happy New Year!!_

_A huge thanks to ilovemyhorse, RunEdwardRun, Tommygrl1997, SpAzZy CaUsE tHaT's Me, lionlambnatz, dubblebubble71, HealThisHeartbreak, Lolz2kaii9, pizza003, nandita, Cullen0-Lover-101, xnxdx, EdwardsAngel08, twinkletwi, t-shirt n pants, lin stiernet, Sylvia Cullen, secretobsession7, iSelbe6126.0519, TeamEdward76, , CrazyLittleWriter, Rebecca Cullen 1991, mindreadingweirdo, ic-zphuocc, twilightluver39, gaby47 and bells254 for their reviews. Thank you so much guys._

_Right, I'm going to make a prediction for this chapter. I'm going guess that none of you guessed what is about to happen in it. Normally, I get messages about predictions for this story and nobody has guessed it yet. Let me know if you did though. I think that this chapter will prove to be a bit of a shocker and I am excited of what you will all think about it. _

_This chapter is named after 'Monsters' by Hurricane Bells. It's from the New Moon soundtrack, which you should buy if you already haven't, by the way. Its awesome. I love this song and the name fits quite well for the chapter._

_Enjoy…_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, because if I did, Edward would have fallen in love with me instead. Hey, a girl can dream, right?!_

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

I was not afraid to die.

It was something that I had gotten used to over the past few days and so I did not fear it. I would be dying for my father, for my mother, for the Cullens, for Edward. So dying in the place of the people I loved seemed like a good way to go. The thing I was afraid of was _how_ I would die. Quick and simple? Slow and painful? I did not know. All I knew was that I would die soon… and I was unafraid.

James was already outside the church when I finally got there. He had one hand in his pocket and the other was holding a lit cigarette. He lifted it to his lips and took a drag before breathing out the smoke, releasing it into the air. I held my bag tighter on my shoulder and his smug grin appeared once he spotted me walking towards him. He must have felt pretty pleased with himself, I had done what he'd asked, I'd left them all. He dropped the cigarette to the floor before treading on it and putting it out. I came to stand in front of him, breathing steadily, avoiding eye contact.

"Get in the car," he said to me. There was no 'hello' and there was no 'how are you', there was just a straight forward order which I followed without hesitation. I looked at the dark blue car which was parked next to where I was standing and I shivered a little in fear. I didn't know what kind of car it was and if I was honest, I didn't want to know.

He opened the back door and gestured for me to get inside. He walked around to the passenger side as I got myself comfy in the car and shut the door behind me. I put my seatbelt on and sat there, still and silent, too afraid to move. The car looked dirty and it stank of cigarettes. I looked out of the window at the brown-brick church and a sudden avalanche of memories filled my mind, flooding it. The church was the same church that my Edward picked me up from on that winter morning when I found myself lost. It was the same church where we had our first real conversation together. It reminded me of a happier time in my life, a time I shared with Edward. Yet, the sight of that church would only bring sad memories now rather than the happy ones that I wished it would keep.

As James got into the car and I came out of my daydream, I quickly noticed the driver. I knew him too, his face so familiar. He was there that night. He was the guy with the dreadlocks, the guy who told James to kill my mom. I hated him just as much as James.

It seemed I had a whole entourage to escort me to the Volturi.

_What a lucky girl I am_!

"When you're ready, Laurent," James said.

With that, the man named Laurent started the engine and pulled the car onto the road, ready to drive away from Forks, my new life, and Edward. This was it now, no turning back. They had me where they wanted me and since there was no escape, I had to be brave.

Forks whizzed by us as we eventually left the town and drove along the highway. The ride was smooth and silence filled the car. For this I was grateful. It was peaceful and I found myself relaxing into my seat. Either it was the silence helping me relax or the smell of the smoke was going to my head. Either way, I felt oddly calm about the whole thing. I clutched my bag tighter as I sat there and rested my head on the back of the seat.

"Did you bring your passport?" James suddenly asked me.

"Yes," I said, quietly feeling around in my bag in search of the document. Yes, I had it.

"And did you do what I asked you to do?" he said in a sweet mocking voice.

"Yes," I nodded.

Yes, I had done what he'd asked me to do. I'd left the Cullens, the most kindest and wonderful people I have ever met without so much as a thank you or a goodbye. They had taken me in, fed me, clothed me, helped me when I needed it the most and now I've done this to them. Alice would probably hate me and Emmett would probably never speak to me again. Not that he will get a chance to anyway. I didn't know where I was going, but I wasn't expecting to ever see the Cullens again.

Yet, not of that hurt as much as seeing the look Edward's face when I told him that I didn't love him. He looked… torn and beaten and broken. I can never take that back now, we were over, finished, ended. I would never see him again and that was the way I had left him - a broken man, sitting on the floor. He'd hate me for hurting him like that and I would never be able to put it right. I wasn't his girlfriend anymore, so I wasn't a concern of his, but I would always love him. He was my Edward and I would never stop loving him. I just hoped that he would be happy in his life, that's all I could ask for. I just wanted him to be happy, even if I couldn't be there to see it.

We drove a while longer before the sight of flying planes appeared in the car window. I knew that we were at Seattle airport and the drive had been quicker than I thought it would be. Laurent parked up the car and James quickly pulled me out of it, keeping a hard painful grasp upon my arm. There was no way he was letting me get away and believe me, I knew that.

We walked towards the airport as I struggled to keep up with their quick pace and James did not loosen his grip on me once as we entered the building. I was sure that his tight grip would leave a bruise. We walked through the airport quickly, avoiding as many people as possible, past baggage and finally heading up an escalator going god-knows where.

"Get your passport out," James said as we headed to the check-in desk.

With my free arm and hand, I did as he said, giving him my passport. Laurent pulled out our plane tickets, took the passports from James and went to check us all in. We only had hand luggage, so there was no need to give them any suitcases. Once Laurent returned, James dragged me to the large, noisy waiting area and we just sat there, waiting for our plane.

The wait wasn't that long, but to me, it felt like forever. There were other passengers waiting too, hundreds of them. Screaming children, bored teenagers, mom's reading magazines, dad's with cups of coffee, even the odd loving couple here and there, but I couldn't speak to any of them. All I could do was sit there and look as if nothing was wrong. I was here with two of the world's most dangerous men and they were more than likely leading me to my death, but no-one could know that. I just sat there like a good little hostage and stayed quiet.

James kept an eye on me the whole time, giving me a creepy stare, probably worried that I would attempt to escape or something. He needn't worry, I wasn't going anywhere. I was too much of a chicken for that.

_I don't know, Bella… Just give me 10 minutes with him… _

My sub-conscious was standing there with her boxing gloves on, ready for a fight, but I calmed her down. She was a damn sight braver than I was. I just kept my dad's face in mind and it soon stopped her aggressive attitude. She knew what was at stake here and a stupid move like an escape or an attack on either James or Laurent would only end up getting us in an even worse predicament.

Still, I liked her determined attitude!

"Move, now," came James' voice, breaking me from my thoughts. "We're boarding the plane."

I hadn't even noticed the announcement due to my daydreams, so it took me a little by surprise when James grabbed my arm again and started leading me to where we would be boarding. His pace had slowed a little, so thankfully, I could keep up with him, not that he cared. He would have dragged me along anyway.

I kept myself calm as we boarded the plane, James ironically putting me in the middle of himself and Laurent, even thought there would be no escape once the plane was airborne.

_I wanted a window seat! _

So, as the plane lifted into the air and I reclined in my seat, I looked out of the window as best as I could and took one last glimpse at Forks, Seattle and Washington, knowing I had spent the greatest time of my life there, knowing that as a single tear fell down my cheek, I would never see _him_ again…

xXx

The car journey from the airport was considerably different to the journey there. The car, even though a new car, was the same in the sense of the smell and the smoothness of the drive, although it was warm from the Phoenix temperature, but it was _me_ that was different. Before, I had been calm and relaxed, only slightly nervous. My mind had been straight and my breathing had been steady. Only now, I seemed the exact opposite. I was panicking, my breathing coming out heavily and my stomach felt sick. Now that I was back home, it felt all the more real. Now I had seen the bright Phoenix sun in the sky, I knew that it was all really happening. I was going to the Volturi, and I was absolutely terrified. I couldn't eat on the plane due to my stomach and my sub-conscious had retreated somewhere in fear.

I really wished I was her right now. At least she was safe in my head.

I was clutching my bag so tight that my knuckles were going white. I just kept Charlie's face in my mind. I was going to see him… soon.

We hastily drove through the main city, past all the buildings and streets I had come to know and love over the years from living here and pretty soon we left the hustle and bustle behind and were heading out of the city to a much quieter part of town. I should have figured really. Its not like the Volturi were based in the middle of a very busy city for everyone to see!

I still had no real idea of why they had some problem with my family. I mean, they kill my mother, kidnap my father, then go on a worldwide search to find me. What did they want? What was their problem with my family? I knew I didn't have to think for long, I'd get my answer soon enough.

We headed off the main roads and turned down a dusty dry road heading who knows where. The ride became bumpy and it really didn't help my stomach or nerves. I could see James laughing to himself at my pale and sick face in the windscreen window and I was seriously considering taking my sub-conscious up on her previous offer. It really would be satisfying to punch that smug grin of his face. He deserved it!

I gazed out of the window so I didn't have to look at his ugly face when I could see a building in the distance. It was tall and just standing there all alone, nothing else around it. The closer we got to it, the more of it I could make out. It looked to be a large warehouse. It looked huge… dark… sinister. My stomach twisted in fear and my hands began to shake. Perhaps this would be the place where I'd die. No, I _knew _this would be the place where I'd die.

We pulled up to the front of the building, many cars also parked there and Laurent killed the engine. I tried to swallow back the lump of fear in my throat, but James grabbed me before I even got the slightest chance. His grip hadn't lessened since the last time. Now I knew I would be getting a bruise. He pulled me out of the car and I automatically squinted my eyes. I hadn't seen the Phoenix sun first-hand in months, so it would take some getting used to once again. I hoisted my bag up my shoulder as Laurent locked the car and James dragged me towards the small door at the front of the warehouse.

"Keep your mouth shut, ok?" James said as we walked. "I don't want you making any sound."

"Alright," I said quietly, taking one last look at the big bright world before I headed inside.

It was dark and cold inside the warehouse, that familiar cigarette smell filling my nose, making it scrunch up in disgust. It seemed stronger here, fresh even. That let me know that there were other people close by. The corridor we walked down was narrow, dank and all together unpleasant. It drew fear from my heart. I wondered why the Volturi had not done something more with the place, especially with all the money I was certain they had, but my shaking body told me exactly why. You were supposed to be scared here. They wanted you to be scared.

I whimpered a little as James' grip tightened on my arm.

"I thought I told you not to make a sound," he said to me.

"Sorry," I whispered, but all he did was snigger.

_Let me at him, just let me at him!_

I couldn't think of attacking him here. Laurent was right behind us and we were in a Volturi building. I would be asking to be killed if I tried anything now.

We suddenly stopped in front of a large wooden door and James opened it agonizingly slow before leading me in. As I dropped my bag to the floor, my eyes widened a little at the sight before me. The room looked as if it should be in a completely different building. Light flooded it through its many high windows, the floor was made of the most beautiful marble, complete with marble pillars scattered around, the walls were decorated with some of the most amazing works of art I had ever seen and the smell in here was surprisingly pleasant. This room was amazingly gorgeous.

I guessed the Volturi spent money here after all!

The noise of a door opening filled the silent room and three men suddenly walked through said large door on the opposite side of the room. They reeked of authority and had an aurora of splendor about them, almost as if butter wouldn't melt. All three were handsome and tall, beautiful enough to make a grown woman go weak at the knees with just one stare. I, however, knew better. If they were in the Volturi, these men were dangerous and unsafe. I knew I would have to keep my guard up around them. Next thing I knew, James was leading me forward, pushing me towards the men, all of their glittering eyes on me. One of them, whom I assumed was the guy in charge, came forward to meet us. He had an oddly sweet smile on his face, almost as if he were happy to see me, almost as if he were greeting a friend.

"Isabella!" he beamed, clasping his hands together. "How wonderful to see you. I trust you had a pleasant journey?"

I was utterly baffled by him. He was being ridiculously friendly towards me, trying to imply that I was safe around him, but instead of making me feel relaxed, it worried me. I wasn't a fool, I knew whose company I was in. This man was no doubt a murderer too. His hair was long, his eyes piercing, almost as if he was trying to look right through me. I put on a determined voice, making sure not to let my fear show through and answered his question. "Yes. Thank you."

"Brilliant," he smiled. "I hope James and Laurent provided sufficient company?"

"Yes," I whispered. I avoided his eyes, they were too strong.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you after all this time. My name is Aro." He held out his hand for me to shake.

Aro?… Aro… Where had I heard that name before? It sounded so familiar.

I suddenly gasped as realization hit me. I knew him. Aro… the man in charge… the boss… the Volturi leader… the man who killed Edward's mother. This was he.

I took a step backwards in fear, but suddenly collided with James's chest. Aro began towards me and I knew I had no where to run. I couldn't believe who I was looking at. The man who abandoned Edward when he was hurt, the man who allowed Elizabeth Cullen to die. He really was a murderer and he was the worst murderer of all. My sub-conscious was just staring at him, rubbing her eyes in disbelief, her mouth gaping open in utter shock at who he was. Elizabeth's killer was going to kill me too. I began shaking at the irony and now I was totally petrified.

His hand was still held out as he reached me, but I couldn't move. It was taking all my energy to just hold back the tears. James pushed me forward from leaning on his chest and I had no option then but to greet Aro. Reluctantly, I raised my hand and he held it in his own. His grasp was firm, definitely the strong handshake of a leader… a deadly one at that.

"Your little game of cat and mouse has been most troublesome to us, Isabella," he said as he let go of my hand. He began pacing in front of me, left to right, in a stride that was strong. He began to smile. "But you did make the game very interesting."

I didn't know if I was supposed to say anything to that or if I was supposed to respond, but I was too immobilized by everything to speak. I wanted to know where my dad was, I wanted to know why my mother had been killed, I wanted to know what his problem was with me, but my mouth was zipped shut and I was frozen to the spot.

"But we have you now," he continued, suddenly stopping his pacing and turning to stare at me. "And that is all that matters."

I swallowed in worry, lacing my fingers together in fear and alarm. He sounded sinister, yet amused at the same time. He would enjoy killing me, he would revel in it, he would delight in it. The blow would be coming and it would be coming soon. If only I could have seen my father one last time before it happened.

Almost as if the Gods heard my prayer, another door opened and another three men walked through it coming into view. The two men on either end, I did not know. I had never seen them in my life and had no wish what-so-ever to get to know them. But the man in the middle I knew and a smile graced my lips at the sight of him. He was the reason I had come here, he was the man I had missed for so long and now that I had seen him once again in the flesh, I could see that he was ok, he was unharmed… he was alive. My tears of fear fell from my eyes then as tears of joy instead. My feet began to move my themselves and I sprinted towards my father. A grin appeared on his face too at the sight of me and he welcomed me with open arms.

"Dad," I cried into his shirt as I hugged him as closely and tightly as possible. "You're alive… you're ok." My tears and happiness made it very hard to get my words out, but I tried my best. I couldn't believe how happy I was, reunited with my father at last. He was the light at the end of a rather dark tunnel. He was alright.

"Hey, Bells," he said, stroking my hair soothingly, kissing the top of my head, holding me just as tightly. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, dad," I said, reveling in his warmth. My tears slowly stopped and began to dry.

"A very beautiful daughter you have there, Charlie," Aro suddenly interjected. I couldn't see him since my face was nuzzled into my father's chest, but I had a feeling he looked annoying joyful. Why did he have to ruin this for me? "Such a shame really considering the circumstances of her visit."

"Indeed, Aro," my father said and I knew that he was beaming proudly at the compliment his daughter had been given. "It is good to see her again. Thank you for giving me this one last moment with my daughter, my old friend."

The words that left my father's mouth confused me. I pulled away from him and looked at him with furrowed eyebrows, trying to figure out what he meant.

I didn't get it. I mean, what was dad talking about… _old friend. _Was he insane? Perhaps mom's death was affecting him too much, or being kidnapped and held hostage for so long was getting to his head. There's a name for that, right? Stockholm Syndrome. Yeah, that's what it had to be. He couldn't be serious.

"You're welcome, dear friend," Aro replied. "You have waited for her after all for so long. When would you like it to take place?"

_Right… now I'm confused._

What was taking place that my father seemed to know so much about? I pulled away fully from my dad then, taking a step back, my arms hanging by my side. I looked at him. "Dad? I don't understand. Friend? What's taking place? What's going on?"

"So ignorant, Isabella, to all that is happening," Aro said with a gleeful and knowing smile. "I assume your father did not tell you, or you would not have come so willingly."

"T-told me what?" I asked, suddenly panicking. I began to worry at how friendly they both seemed to each other. What was going on?

"Why, of his involvement with the Volturi of course. Of his membership, of the fact that he is a part of this very organization."

I froze.

What?… Charlie was a member of the Volturi? No... Surely not… This had to be a joke. Where was Ashton Kutcher? Was he ready to jump out on me? I had been Punked, set up, teased. He was my dad, Chief of Police, general good guy... He couldn't be involved with them. For the first time in a while, my sub-conscious had nothing to say, she was speechless.

"You're lying," I accused. He just wanted to frighten me, that's all… _yeah, that's it._

"Sadly not, dear child," Aro replied.

My stomach plummeted at the seriousness of Aro's words as I then looked at my dad, his figure blurred from unshed tears I didn't even know had appeared. "Dad?" I whispered.

He looked at me then, gazing at me deeply and his eyes said what his voice could not. I gasped as my eyes widened in terrible realization and I held my hand to my mouth to stop myself from screaming. Oh god… he was… he was a member of the Volturi… oh god… No

"But… but they killed mom," I whispered to him, craving his answer to my statement. "They killed mom and they kidnapped you."

"Your mother's murder... Why, it was all your father's idea, Isabella. He organized the whole thing, and very well organized too, I must say," Aro said chuckling to himself, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

… _what?_

No.

He couldn't have…

No.

He was my dad…

It was impossible…

... No.

"Please tell me he's lying, dad," I said to Charlie, struggling to find my voice, my heart beating so fast that it threatened to jump straight out of my chest. "Please."

He stared at me for a while before he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Bells," he replied.

… _Oh god…_

I went numb…

I felt the bile rising in my throat and I released a broken sob as my legs gave way and I dropped to my knees. I'm sure my knees hurt from the impact, but I was too numb to feel it. He… he killed my mother. He ordered her murder. He did it all. I believed in him, I prayed for his safety this whole time, I fought to find him, I left the Cullens for him, I broke up with…

My dad was a monster.

The tears streamed down my face then silently and I started to visibly shake as I glared at my so-called father. After everything I had been through, it had all been his fault. They didn't kidnap him, they merely brought him back the headquarters so that he could continue his search for me. It was all his fault. Anger surged through my veins, flowing all over my body.

"Why?" I whispered through the tears. I was feeling lightheaded and I knew that I could faint at any moment, but I knew I had to stay conscious, if only to here his sick and pathetic excuses. My anger finally boiled over at his answer.

"Money," Charlie answered, running his hands through his hair. "We were broke, Bella, and I needed to get cash somehow."

"SO YOU KILLED HER?" I practically screamed at him, my voice echoing off each wall in the large room, bouncing back and forth, emphasizing my point. My fist were clenched, going white and I wanted to kill him. More than James… more than Laurent… more than Aro. I hated him like no-one else… my own father. I wanted him dead, just like my poor, innocent mother.

"I needed the cash. The life insurance for your mother was too good to pass up. I had no other choice, Bells."

"You killed her for life insurance?" I spat, my fury burning bright. "Your wife, my mother?" He really was a sick excuse for a man. And to think I did all of this for him. I felt cheated and betrayed.

This wasn't real, it couldn't be. None of it seemed like reality. I just wanted to wake up from all this and be lying in Edward's caring arms. I wanted to be out of this nightmare.

"Indeed, Isabella, and I'm afraid, dear child, that you are next," Aro said, essentially ending both the conversation and my life.

James was suddenly picking me up from the floor by my arms, but my legs just didn't seem to be working. They had turned to jelly and I honestly had no strength to move on them or support my weight on them. I refused to break eye contact with my father as James held me bridal style, seeing it as the only way to move me. I found it hard to be repulsed by James in that moment considering my so-called father was only feet in front of me. I didn't wipe my tears away. I wanted to show that monster what he had done to his own flesh and blood. He needed to see what he had reduced me to.

"When would you prefer the murder to take place?" Aro asked Charlie. He put the word 'murder' so bluntly, almost as if he were emphasizing it to me, making it final.

"I'll do it tomorrow morning," Charlie answered, letting out a sigh, seemingly upset with himself.

So he was to be the one to kill me and end my life… my very own dad. He had killed my mother, the woman he married and the woman he loved, so I supposed killing me would be no major problem to him.

"Very well," said Aro. "James, please take her to one of the cells for the night. Make sure she has everything she needs." He looked at me then. "And I suppose I shall see you tomorrow morning, Isabella." His smile was smug. I wanted to rip it from his face.

_Vile bastard…_

With that, James began leading me away one deathly step at a time. My father gave me a sympathetic smile as we walked past.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he had the nerve to say to me.

I just glared at him, having no sympathy towards that pathetic excuse for a man, showing my anger. "I hate you."

His face dropped at my words as we left the room through one of the many doors and we entered a dark narrow corridor, similar to the one on the way in. I knew it was a different corridor however, because of the many doors scattered along the wall. Each door was metal with a single small square window to show an outsider the inside of the room. We stopped finally and James opened the door in front of us, leading us in. He placed me on the cold, hard bed by the wall, gave me a wink and left without a word, locking the door behind him. I just stared at the floor, letting it all finally sink in.

When did it all go wrong? When did my life become this nightmare? Why me?

I didn't look around the room. I just lay back upon the bed, feeling too numb to do anything and I let that lightheaded feeling take me over. I closed my eyes and just let the darkness engulf me as tears escaped my eyes.

Anything to let me escape this hell…


	25. Fight for this love

_Hello everyone!_

_A massive thanks to Cullen0-Lover-101, secretobsession7, Flamepelt3377, RunEdwardRun, MARGEmuffin, pizza003, jadey85, HealThisHeartbreak, ilovemyhorse, lionlambnatz, SwiftMotionGirl, Tommygrl1997, mrs. Karyssacullen, mell484, twilightluver39, lovedoves, Katherine. Cullenxx, TeamEdward76, sprinter1, xnxdx, t-shirt n pants, mindreadingweirdoandCGreene, CrazyLittleWriter, fuzzycocoa64, bells254, iSelbe6126.0519, ilovelove527, Rebecca Cullen 1991, Adrianna1120, graciegrl96 and Sylvia Cullen for their reviews. Thanks guy. I love reading your feedback._

_So… the last chapter, huh? Bet you weren't expecting that, were you?! I've had that planned from the start and have tried to leave discreet hints throughout the story about it. I loved hearing about your shock. Bella isn't having much luck is she? A few of you have asked why Charlie is killing Bella as well. It's because he wants the money from her life insurance too, plus she sort of knows what he did now. Death is the only option to keep her quiet. He's part of the Volturi though, he doesn't have much in the way of family values I suppose._

_Over the course of the next few chapters, please don't get confused. The next few chapters will be both Edward's and Bella's point of view and I'm sort of playing simultaneous events against each other. I need both points of view over what is happening in order for the story to make sense, so don't get confused if Bella's point of view is taking place at night and Edward's point of view of the same day is taking place in the morning for example. It will all come together and meet in the same place eventually. It's just Edward and Bella aren't together to comment upon what the other is doing, so I need two separate points of view to tell both sides of the story._

_This chapter is named after 'Fight for this love' by Cheryl Cole. Brilliant song!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. I can't even find it on eBay!_

* * *

Edward Cullen's Point of View

It was odd to see the house in such a tense state.

Mom was pacing the kitchen in her panic, phone lifted to her ear whilst calling my dad… Alice had her arms wrapped around herself, crying her eyes out… Jasper had just returned from his failed search and he looked beyond worried… Emmett was lying in bed, no doubt snoring his head off, none the wiser about the situation.

It seemed that I had to be the one to think straight here. Bella would be relying on me to be the mind of reason during this whole situation. I needed to figure out what to do and I needed to think logically, so I tried to replay everything in my head to get a better grasp of events.

Bella had broken up with me, that much was wretchedly clear. Then she had left to buy milk at approximately 9.45am this morning. It was currently 3.15pm in the afternoon and there was still no sign of her. She wasn't answering her phone, we had no other means of getting in touch with her and according to Jasper, she was nowhere in sight. We had tried everything and we were getting no where.

So it was official…

My Bella was missing.

I paced the kitchen, tapping my chin, running a hand through my bronze hair, trying my very hardest to keep my mind straight considering how chaotic it was at the minute. I was full of confusion, worry, panic, but most of all fear. I couldn't seem to get the idea out of my head that something major had happened to her, something seriously bad… and I wasn't there to protect her. My guilt was immense because I wasn't there to save her when she needed me the most and I would hate myself forever if something had happened to her. I could only pray that she was alright. I had let her down… Some boyfriend I was.

Wait… no, I wasn't, was I? I was not her boyfriend. Not anymore.

"Your dad is on his way home," mom suddenly said, breaking me from my pessimistic thoughts. She hung up the phone before walking up to a crying Alice and wrapping her arms around my little sister. They all seemed just as broken as I was and I could easily sympathize with my family in that moment.

"Ok, I nodded, trying to keep my breathing at a regular rate. It was very difficult to do considering how fast my heart was beating right now. I was surprised my family couldn't hear its pounding, erratic rhythm and I was surprised I wasn't hyperventilating at the sheer strength of each beat. I couldn't stop pulling at my hair in worry and it was threatening to come out of my head. But I didn't care at that minute. I just needed to formulate a plan to find my Bella. I didn't even know where to start.

Seeing my worried face, Alice walked out of my mother's arms and came over to wrap her arms around me. "Don't worry, Edward. I'm sure she's fine," she said to me.

"Sure who is fine?" Emmett's booming voice said, filling the tense atmosphere in the room. He yawned and rubbed his eyes as he looked at us. _3pm, what a time to wake up!_ But his happy face dropped when he saw the four concerned and fearful faces before him. His eyebrows furrowed in utter bewilderment. "What's happened?"

"Bella's missing," Jasper answered for him, cutting straight to the chase. Emmett's face contorted then and it began to look more like everybody elses.

"What?!" he exclaimed. "When… why… how… what?" He seemed to share the same disbelief that the rest of us shared.

"Bella left the house this morning and hasn't come home," my mother explained, a tear rolling down her cheek. "She's not answering her phone and none of us can find her."

"Please tell me you're lying," he tried in disbelief.

"Nope," Alice said in a depressed tone, her shoulders dropping. We were all feeling the same.

"Oh my god," Emmett whispered to himself, rubbing his jaw. Trust me, I knew how he felt. He saw Bella as his second little sister and he felt just as protective of her as he did Alice. This was tough on us all.

My mom let out a sob then and Emmett comforted her. "What kind of witness protectors are we if we can't even keep her safe?" she said.

It should have been me keeping her safe. I was the one who loved her after all. If only I had put my coat on and offered to accompany her to the store befre she left. I could have kept an eye on her, I could have made sure she was alright, I could have kept her safe. But no. I decided to sit on the floor in self-pity and get drunk instead.

"It's ok, mom. We'll find her," Emmett told her softly. He looked to me then. "How you holding up, dude?"

I had forgotten that Emmett did not know of the break-up. Hell, it still hadn't sunk into my head, so all I could do was nod and try to answer as best as I could. "I'm… managing."

It was the best answer I could come up with that was remotely truthful. Really, I was panicking like never before. I just wanted her with me, safe and sound. Not knowing what had happened to her was the worst part and the continuing worry was only strengthened by the rest of my family's feelings being the same. My mother looked confused over why Emmett's question was aimed personally at me, but she quickly let it go when my father burst through the front door in a clear panic.

_Join the club…_

"What's happened? Where is she?" he said quickly, running straight to my mother. His hair was a mess and I could tell his hands had been running through it, just like I had been doing. It was a habit that I had inherited from my dad. We were both as bad as each other.

"She's gone, Carlisle. She's not answering her phone, she's can't be found." My mother began crying into my father's shoulder. He rubbed her back soothingly and looked to the rest of us, speaking to us in a voice laced with alarm.

"We need to figure this out. Do any of you know what happened? Who was the last one to see her?"

The silence lasted all of five seconds before I timidly raised my hand, all eyes in the kitchen landing on my form.

"Me," I said in a depressed tone. I knew my interrogation was about to start.

"When?"

"She left about 9.45am," I told him, having to recollect that horrible moment again. I was grateful that my parting words with her had been good ones. I least I got to tell her that I loved her before she went.

"Did she seem ok when she left?"

I ran my hand through my hair and looked at Alice then for support. We had just broken up when she left, so no, she wouldn't have been ok. I didn't know how she would be feeling, but I knew her thoughts could not have been straight. But mom and dad weren't supposed to know about us. They would disapprove and give the whole lecture about getting my heart broken. Well it was too late. My heart had been broken for all to see. They shouldn't know, but I had a feeling that they were about to.

"Edward?" my dad pressured.

"Just tell him, Edward," Alice said with a sigh. "They will find out at some point anyway and it might help."

"Find out what?" my mother asked, slightly perplexed.

I paused for a brief moment before I began to speak. "Fine," I sighed, looking to my parents. "I… I don't think her head could have been straight when she left because… because she had just broken up with me." It was odd, but I felt a huge weight lifted from my shoulders when I told my parents this. It was like letting a long pent up emotion free for all to know and see. We had kept it secret for so long and now they finally knew. It felt strangely good.

My mother looked sympathetic and my dad looked puzzled.

"When you say 'broke up'…" my father began.

"I mean Bella and I were in a relationship and she ended it, ok?" I was beginning to get angry with this constant questioning. I knew it wasn't my parent's fault that Bella and I had broken up, but the emotions were still raw within me and the simplest thing could set them off. Sadly, they had to be in the firing line.

They were silent for a while before my mother spoke.

"Oh, Edward. I'm so sorry, sweetheart," she cried before embracing me in a warm and motherly hug, rubbing my back soothingly, trying to make me feel somewhat better.

The floodgates opened again and I began to cry silently into her hair. I was crying for Bella and how everything we had was no more, I was crying because my angel was missing and we had no clue on how to find her, but I was also crying in relief that my mother and father were not angry over our relationship. They seemed… accepting of it.

"For how long?" my dad asked. His tone was not accusing or angry, it was sympathetic, though probing.

"Since New Years," I told him in a broken voice. He nodded acceptingly. I had a funny feeling that I would be questioned about this whole thing even more later on, but we had bigger fish to fry right now.

"Did she say much when she left?"

"No, just that she was going to get milk and that she wouldn't be long." I gave my nose a sniff and tried to slow down my tears.

He nodded his head again, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "I just don't get it."

"None of us do," Jasper said.

"And she's not answering her phone?"

We all shook our heads dejectedly.

"And I've phoned the police, but they can't do anything unless she's been missing for 24 hours," my mom said sadly. Bella was in the Witness Protection Programme for Christ's sake! They should be looking for her as a priority, not waiting to see if she eventually 'showed up'. The police system sucked!

"She's been acting weird for days," I said mainly to myself, but it seemed that everybody else had heard me too.

"What do you mean?" my dad asked.

"She's been… different," I told them, my tears thankfully coming to a halt. I had been crying all day and my eyes were stinging like mad. I couldn't believe that I had any tears left! "She's been really distant and she constantly wanted to be alone. She didn't seem to want me."

"Since when?" Emmett asked.

"The night of the Spring Ball," I replied solemnly, remembering the greatest night of my life. The greatest night before it all went wrong. "She's been different ever since."

"Well… did something happen at the dance perhaps?" my father asked, searching for the answers we all wanted.

I searched my brain as hard as I could, trying to help piece everything together, trying to find even the smallest thing which could give us some sort of answer or some sort of hope, but I came up blank. "Not that I know of."

"Well," Alice said thoughtfully. "She was speaking to that strange guy..."

Hang on… this was new.

"What guy?" I asked her, feeling very alert suddenly. Why had Alice kept this quiet until now?

"Whilst you were in the bathroom, she was outside talking to some strange guy she said she knew."

"Who was he?" I asked, suddenly breaking from my mothers hold and grasping firmly onto Alice's shoulders. "Did he have a name? What did he look like? Did Bella seem ok?"

Jasper became alert when he saw the grip I had upon Alice's delicate shoulders, but he soon calmed down when he saw that Alice was not hurt. I had caused enough damage to Alice today, I wasn't going to make it worse.

"I don't know his name," she started, wriggling free of my grasp, "But Bella seemed a little tongue tied around me when I asked about him. She seemed… scared and tried to cover it up. But she's an awful liar and…"

"What did he look like, did you see him?" I asked, stopping my sister's needless rambling..

She furrowed her brow thoughtfully, searching her brain for answers. "He had… blonde hair. Longish I think. Sort of tied back."

Oh god...

The description of the man made me freeze in my tracks and as I took a sharp intake of breath, my eyes widened in sudden realization. The man who she was with, I knew him. Bella had once told me about him the night she discussed why she was in the Witness Protection Programme. She had described him the night when she had her nightmare. He was the guy who had caused my Bella so much pain in her life.

"W-what was his name?" I asked, keeping my building up rage as covered up as I could. "Was it James?"

"Uh… it might have been. I'm not sure. Why? Who is James?" Alice said, fear in her eyes appearing when she saw the rage behind my own. The only other person who knew me better than Bella, was Alice and she could clearly see that something had changed in me. And boy, had something changed in me. I was angry.

"Damn it!" I suddenly shouted, rubbing my temples, my sudden outburst causing all those in the kitchen to jump a little.

I knew exactly where she was. James, the sick son-of-a-bitch who killed her mother and kidnapped her father, had taken her. I knew he had… I could _feel_ it. I didn't know how he had found her, but he had and I knew it was him who had taken her. It all made sense. The distant attitude after meeting him, the sudden distance she put between herself and I, the fact that she left without a word, taking everything she would need with her… He had her.

"What is it?" someone asked, but I wasn't concentrating enough on the voice to know who it was. I was in no condition to note particulars. All I knew what that it was a male.

"I know where she is and who has her," I said. A sharp intake of breath and a few gasps were heard all around the room as I continued rubbing my temples, the cogs rotating in my brain in order to form a suitable plan. I had figured it all out this far, most of the pieces had miraculously been put together. All we had to do was complete this puzzle by using the final piece - saving Bella.

"Who?" Emmett exclaimed, asking the question everybody else wanted to ask.

"His name is James. He works for the Volturi in Phoenix," I told my family, who gasped at the word Volturi. I had a funny feeling that my real mother's face was in all of their heads by now. She was definitely in mine. Her bronze long hair, her piercing green eyes, just like mine. Her sweet and tender smile and her melodic voice which never failed to cheer me up. I could not save my mother against the Volturi. She was gone and I had failed her… but I would not fail Bella. I would not let them take away somebody else I loved. I would fight for her because she was worth it. I loved her like no other and I would not rest until she was safe and sound in my arms again.

For the first time today, I was optimistic for the future.

"How do you know?" Alice quizzed me.

"She told me about him," I began to explain. "He's the reason she is in the Witness Protection Programme."

"So she's in Phoenix?" my mother asked.

"Yes," I nodded.

"But Phoenix is huge, Edward," Jasper reasoned. "We might never find her, especially if the Volturi have her."

"Don't say that!" I shouted. I would not have him think negatively. We would find her…_ I_ would find her… and I would not stop until I had.

"Jasper is right," my father sighed. "We need to narrow the location down somehow."

This seemed to stump us all. I hated to admit it, but my father and Jasper were thinking logically here. It wasn't like we could go door to door to every building in Phoenix asking if anyone had seen a kidnapped girl. I was getting angry again due to my lack of ideas. I needed a plan.

"Uh… I have an idea," Emmett suddenly perked up. We all took notice then, partly because someone had an idea, but mainly because it was Emmett who had the plan. Now don't get me wrong, I love my brother, but he wasn't the brightest light bulb in the box!

"What is it?" Alice questioned eagerly.

"Well," he began. "I know it's a long shot, but do you guys remember that phone tracker thing Bella got me for Christmas?"

We all nodded. Bella had got it from some gadget store for like 20 dollars. We didn't even know if it worked! Considering its price, it probably didn't.

"Well, Bella let me try it out and install it on her phone… and I'm thinking we could try it now, you know? See if it can track her?"

"Emmett it was like 20 bucks, it'll never work," I argued, trying to think of something that would _really_ work.

"Well I'm going to try it," he said in a determined voice before running upstairs and coming back down with his laptop. "We need to try something." He loaded it up whilst the rest of us began thinking seriously.

The kitchen was silent for what seemed like hours whilst we all thought, the only noises being our breathing and Emmett tapping on his laptop. We were getting nowhere. No-one had any ideas apart from the lame one Emmett suggested and my lack of thoughts was beginning to annoy me even more. Whilst we were thinking, they could be doing anything to my Bella, absolutely anything. I would not let her down again… I wouldn't. I needed an idea… and fast.

"HA!" Emmett suddenly exclaimed, his face lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. "And you said my idea was stupid!"

"What?" I said, sprinting over to his side to get a look at the laptop. He couldn't be serious, it couldn't have worked, surely. However, the image on the screen told me other wise and I was in utter shock. It quickly turned into excitement when it all registered in my head. There, upon the screen was a map of Phoenix with one flashing red light showing a location on the outskirts of the city. That one flashing light was the lifeline I had been searching for - my Bella.

I couldn't believe it, the damn tracker worked!

"Oh ye of little faith," Emmett laughed.

"Emmett, you genius!" I said, totally elated. I grabbed his head and kissed his forehead, acting totally over the top, before looking back at the screen again, all my hopes resting on that little flashing light. It was her and I knew where she was. The smiles refused to leave my family's faces either as they gazed at that most perfect image on the screen.

"Right," my father said, rushing around in a hurry. "Edward, get the passports, Emmett, keep the laptop going, Jasper go start the car." We were finally doing something worthwhile, so we all did as we were told, the house becoming very urgent all of a sudden. "Esme, phone the police and tell them what we have found out. We will be back in a few days and we'll have Bella with us."

"Alright," my mother said right before my parents embraced in goodbye. I took this opportunity to run to my room and get my rucksack ready since I didn't need to see their little moment. I packed what I needed. Keys, money, passports, phone. We had a plan! I couldn't quite believe it. We knew where she was, we knew we could get to her. For the first time since Bella said those four heartbreaking words, I felt happy. We were going to save her.

I tapped my pocket to make sure that the bracelet I had given Bella was still there. It was, I still had my mother's bracelet. I was taking it with me and I was going to give it back to Bella. It did not matter that she didn't love me, I still loved her and I was going to give the bracelet back to her. It was a sign of my love for her and I wanted her to wear it to prove to the world that she was the only one for me. It represented so much for me and I wanted Bella to know that.

With everything finally ready, I headed downstairs as quickly as possible. My parents had not finished their goodbye with each other and now Alice and Jasper had joined in on the act. I quickly shouted my own goodbyes and joined Emmett in the car, me in the passenger seat and Emmett in the back, the two of us eager to get going. I didn't want to waste anymore precious time.

We had chosen to take my father's Mercedes. Good… it was fast!

Soon enough, Jasper and my dad quickly joined us in the car. My father started the engine and we began to head down onto the road at speed, mom and Alice waving goodbye from the front door and wishing us luck.

"So what's the plan?" Emmett asked as we drove along the highway.

"Your mom is getting in touch with the police who will tell the Phoenix police station," my dad started, keeping his eyes on the road. "We get to Phoenix following that signal on the laptop…"

"Which I can't believe worked by the way," Jasper interrupted with a smile.

"Ha, in your face, Edward," Emmett beamed. "I wish I'd had a camera when I saw how shocked you were."

"As I was saying," my father quickly said, getting the conversation back on track, "We get to Phoenix and find her. We phone the Phoenix police when we get there and lead them to the signal."

"And then we get Bella back," I finished.

"That's the plan," my dad said, driving the car that little bit more quickly.

"That's the plan," I repeated to myself, settling into my seat. We would phone the police and they would sort out the Volturi once and for all… apart from James. He was _mine_. No-one takes _my_ girl and gets away with it. No-one.

Everything was fitting into place. We had a plan, we had a location and we had a reason to go. I knew where she was, my beloved Bella. She wasn't lost anymore, we had found her and seeing that little flashing light on that screen had filled me with so much relief. I was going to her, I was going to save her, I was going to protect her and bring her back to where she belonged - home. Nothing would tare us apart, not at least the Volturi. They had caused enough damage in my life. Bella was the love of my life and I was going to bring her back to me.

I loved her and believe me, that was worth fighting for.


	26. Goodnight and goodbye

_Hello all!_

_A massive thanks to Cuulen0-Lover-101, bells254, secretobsession7, HealThisHeartbreak, lionlambnatz, RunEdwardRun, LyndsBaby, Tommygrl1997, Flamepelt3377, t-shirt n pants, TeamEdward76, pizza003, misscullenwannabe95, sprinter1, mindreadingweirdo, lovedoves, ilovelove527, Sylvia Cullen, cnelson, Violet Ananas, ilovemyhorse (whose review made me extra smiley!), MadMonkeyz, isabella1245 and TwilighterMindBodyAndSoul. Thanks guys!_

_Well, the UK has been totally hit by snow this week, which means I can't go anywhere or do anything. So I will be doing a lot more writing for the rest of the week and that means more chapters! :D_

_This chapter was a bit shorter than normal, but it was the perfect place to end it, ready for Edward's point of view next chapter. So I hope you like it even though it's not as long as I anticipated._

_This chapter is named after "Goodnight and Goodbye" by the Jonas Brothers. I saw them in concert last November... AMAZING!_

_Enjoy…_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. My imagination isn't that good!_

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

Sleep came easily to me that night.

I didn't know if it was the light-headed feeling within my head taking over my body or my distinct lack of energy to do anything, but when I closed my eyes, I was unconscious almost instantly.

My dreams were surprisingly pleasant that night. After everything I had heard that day, I was astounded that I could think of anything remotely happy to concentrate on, but I did and I concentrated on it as best as I could, refusing to let the happy images I conjured up leave my mind.

I dreamt of Edward.

I dreamt of his smiling face, his glorious bronze hair, his melodic voice and his strong warm arms wrapped around me. I felt protected and I felt genuinely happy. He did too. We were in our meadow, running through the pretty wildflowers and climbing the tall trees together. The wind was blowing through our hair and our laughter filled our special space, the two sounds creating a perfect duet of sound together. It was just me and him, like it was supposed to be. He held me, caressed me and told me that everything was ok...

But everything wasn't ok, was it?

Everything was far from ok. My life couldn't be further from ok if it tried.

A tidal wave of emotion flitted through my head at my negative thoughts…

It made me sad to think that I would never smile again and that I'd never be happy again... I'd never again see the bright warm sun or let my eyes gaze across the mysterious round moon and its many millions of stars... I would never get to feel the cool green grass under my feet or smell the beautiful wildflowers of the meadow again… I'd probably never taste food again or be allowed to drink anything but stagnant stale water… I'd never get to go to college and make something of myself… Hell, I'd never get to see my old Chevy truck again... I'd never get married and I'd never have children… I'll never live in a house with a husband or have a family of my own.

I'd always wished deep down inside that I would be living happily in a little cottage a few years from now with my husband, the patter of our children's feet filling the silence. It was a small dream, but it was one that I wished for all the same. Our children would have been so beautiful and so happy and I knew for a fact they would have had their father's bronze hair…

Only _he _could be their father. I wouldn't want anyone else to be. I would have stayed with _him_ forever.

If only I had been given the chance to set things right with Edward before I left this world. If only I could have told him that I was sorry for what I had put him through and that I did love him. I wanted to tell him that he was my world and that I wanted to spend every waking moment with him, making him happy. I'd even settle for just giving him a real goodbye without the evils of heartbreak and lies forcing their way between us. If I could just have one wish before it all ended, it would be to see my Edward one last time and give him the proper goodbye that he deserved.

But I supposed that it did not matter that my life was far from ok because it would be ending soon and I wouldn't have a life to worry about.

After all, I was going to die.

According to my watch, it was about 5.30am when I roused from my peaceful slumber and the good night I had somehow managed. Sunlight was casting its early morning rays over my cell, but I could not see it for the window was far too high. However, I could see its light shining down, illuminating the place and to me that was enough.

My back was aching a little due to spending the night on the horrible hard metal frame they called a bed, causing me to wince. The mattress was dirty, the quilt was thin and it was all as solid as a rock. It wasn't exactly how I wanted to spend my last night on Earth. I stretched and rubbed my eyes, freeing them from sleep before relaxing a little and sighing.

_Hello, Bella Swan and welcome to the last few hours of your life!_

How depressing… It was odd knowing that today would be the day when I would die. Never in my life did I think that I would be given a time or a place for my death... a sort of death sentence, but my thoughts and my surroundings made me think and know otherwise. This big ugly warehouse would be my final resting place. I couldn't even find the energy to cry, hell I couldn't even sit up. I just remained lying down knowing that it didn't matter either way.

I wasn't myself anymore… I was nothing now. Just an empty shell, a body with no soul. I was already as good as dead. Killing me would just be finalizing it. I felt like a ghost - almost gone.

They had broken me.

I took this time to use the last of my reducing energy and look around my cell, only to find it quite ironic really. I had spent the last few months in the lavish and huge and beautiful Cullen house with everything and everyone that I could possibly want. But now I would be spending my last few hours in a small, grey, dank cell, a cell not even as big as my old bedroom. It was cold, it was smelly, but most of all it was the exact opposite of the Cullen house where I had been so happy.

The cell was a bit like me really - it was nothing and insignificant.

I had no idea when it would all be taking place, but my father said he would be carrying out the murder in the morning, so I knew it wouldn't be too long before they would come for me and take me away.

_My father… HA!_

I used the term loosely. He wasn't my father anymore; he was just some despicable and vile man that I happened to know. A father does not kill his child's mother. A father does not kill his child. A father does not put himself or anything else before his family. So no, he wasn't my father and he never would be again.

My mind had still not comprehended what was said yesterday. It's almost like I didn't want to believe it and trust me, I didn't. Nobody wants to know that their father murdered their mother in cold-blood for some stupid insurance payout. I never had my father down as that sort of man. He was a police officer… a man of the law… the _good _guy. A normal person wouldn't do that, a normal person would have taken out a loan, took a second job, sold their old things on eBay! A normal person would not kill their wife and daughter for cash.

But that's just it; my father was not a person in my eyes. In fact, he was anything but.

He was a monster.

He killed my mother for God's sake! The woman who loved him, married him, had his child. He killed her and he didn't bat an eyelid. James may have pulled the trigger, but it was my dad who ordered him to. I hated him, I despised him, I detested him more than words could possibly say. He was dead to me. He wasn't my father anymore. In fact, Carlisle was more like my father now, well he had been anyway.

But not anymore. That's all in the past. That was from a life that I would never return to.

Now I was just waiting for death, I was waiting for them to come for me, I was waiting to see what Charlie had planned for me. I just hoped they were quick about it. I didn't want to suffer. I didn't deserve to suffer.

I knew that when I did die, I would have Edward's face in my mind at that very last second. I wanted my last living memory to be of his happy smiling face. I'd have my mother's face in my mind too, the two of them standing side by side wishing me goodbye. She would have loved him. She would have played with his bronze hair like he was a cat or something and she would have gotten him involved in one of her hair-brained schemes or obsessions. They used to change from week to week. One week she would love painting, then the next she would be obsessed with learning some musical instrument. Edward would have probably encouraged her actually and he would have taught her how to play the piano… until she moved on to something else, of course. They would have gotten on so well.

So it was their faces that I wanted to see.

At least I would die happy then.

The lock on the cell door suddenly sounded, breaking me from my thoughts and my heart thumped in my chest over the anticipation of what was to come.

_And so it begins…_

Somebody walked into my cell, closing the door behind them. I looked up to see the person and my mind registered that it was James. I did not acknowledge him, I didn't even move. The shock of everything alone kept me frozen on the bed. I just lay there as he headed over to me, his disgusting grin playing on his lips.

"Good morning, Isabella," he said in a sickly sweet voice. "Oh… but I don't suppose it is, is it?"

His chuckling at my unfortunate circumstances made my blood boil, but on the outside, I stayed perfectly still, my eyes trained on the wall opposite me. I would not let him anger me in my last moments. I would not give him the satisfaction. He came and sat down next to my horizontal form on the bed.

"I'm very excited about today, aren't you?" he asked and I knew he was speaking rhetorically. I was glad he was enjoying himself!

I did not move. I just lay there, breathing steady, keeping my calm. The only movements I made were the continuous rising and falling of my breathing chest and the occasional blinking of my eyes.

"You're awfully quiet, Isabella. Where is that feisty girl I'm so used to?"

_Just let me at him, just let me at him! What's the worst that can happen? Things can't possibly get any more miserable for us. Just one punch, he deserves it. Please…_

I internally shook my head. I couldn't give my sub-conscious what she wanted, not even now, here at the end of everything. I had no energy to move, I had no will to move. I had already been destroyed. It was like my body was there, but my mind and soul weren't.

James let out a deep breath and the subject suddenly changed… but it was not for the better.

"It's a shame really… killing you," he said, his face changing. I was a little startled when he took a loose strand of my hair and began wrapping it around his dirty finger. "Such a beautiful girl. You could have been so much within this organization."

_What's he getting at?_

I could not see him but I could feel is eyes on me, blatantly boring holes into me. I knew if I could see it, his stare would be fierce and strong. The mere thought of it struck worry throughout my lifeless body.

I did not like his tone. He sounded sinister, like he was scheming. He was confusing me and worrying me but most of all he was scaring me. My fear was only strengthened when his hand began rubbing and caressing my jean covered thigh. His touch surprised me and made me jump a little, but he seemed to enjoy this. He shuffled uncomfortably closer to me.

No other man had touched me apart from Edward, so the intrusion by James shocked me and made me stiffen a little. Inside I was panicking, but I kept my blank façade.

"If it were up to me, I would have kept you alive and all to myself," he said in a dark tone which caused bile to rise in my throat. His hand continued their unwanted caresses. "We could have been amazing, you and I… and I'm sure Aro would have given you to me."

Was he insane?! He was sick and stupid if he believed I would be such a thing with him. He shot my mother! I would not touch him with a ten foot barge pole! I would rather be dead than be with James. I would rather my father carry my murder out right now than be _anything_ to him. I hated him and I loathed him. He hated me too, so his sudden change of heart made me put my guard up, he would not hurt me so easily. I would not succumb to this stupid plan he seemed to have and I would try not to let it frighten me any more than it already had.

"That Edward kid was lucky to have you," he said, sounding as if he was smiling. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his eyes hooded through his eyelashes. "He should have fought harder for you."

The sudden mention of Edward's name caught my attention and I was ready to go on the defense to protect him, when James suddenly cut me off. He bent down, leaning over me, sniffing my hair slowly before sniffing the skin of my cheek.

"Hmmm…" he said and I could feel him smiling against my cheek. "Beautiful."

I wanted to gag. This guy was disgusting… he was sick… he was revolting. His hot breath fanned my cheek and I really did feel like being sick then. I could feel my stomach twisting in uncomfortable knots. His closeness was unwanted, but he just didn't seem to care.

His hand remained on my thigh whilst the other one suddenly grabbed my chin, turning my face roughly so that I was looking at him whilst he leaned over me.

"Such a waste," he said to himself as he let his eyes gaze over my face. It was like he was sizing me up, like I was a piece of artwork to be looked at, it was like I was some sort of object to him. "But I suppose I could get my… fix of you before we have to say goodbye." His smug grin returned.

I actually gasped then, almost as if a small part of my soul had returned. What was he going to do?

_What do you think he is going to do, genius?_

Oh god… no… surely he wasn't going to do _that_! No… not during my last moments on earth. Only Edward was allowed to touch me that way, I didn't want James' dirty hands on me. I did not want to suffer, I did want to be sad or depressed… no. I willed my eyes not to cry, but I could feel the tears building already.

_Just one punch, Bella. There's no option. If you don't, he will do it to you. You have to fight back!_

His hand slowly moved under my shirt and he began to trace his fingers across the soft skin on my stomach.

Oh lord…

She was right, I had to do it, just one punch or hit would be enough. Sure, my eyes were blurred with unshed tears, but I could not let that slow me down. I had to try anything to stop him in his tracks. I tried to focus on his form and find the strength to fight back.

With a sudden burst of confidence, I balled my hands into a fist ready to hit him… when somebody beat me to it. A loud thump was heard and James' eyes suddenly rolled to the back of his head. He collapsed on top of me without a sound, totally out cold.

"Don't you DARE touch her!" a voice growled in protective anger.

I looked up to see the figure standing before me and when my eyes landed on the person's form, I knew that they must have already killed me and that I was already dead. I had to be, this wasn't real. I had died and gone to heaven. Why else would _he _be here, standing before me, relief covering his face. Only in heaven would I see him. He couldn't be here, he was in Forks. I had left him, he had no reason to come after me. I had died and gone to a happy place where I could finally be happy and where he would stay with me forever. I must have.

But the tears rolling down my cheeks felt too real. James body felt too heavy, _his _voice sounded too real…

_Everything_ seemed too real.

"Bella?" he whispered, gently walking closer to me. "Love?"

He had tears in his eyes too. I didn't want them there, they were ruining his perfect green orbs.

_His perfect green orbs…_

I gasped in sudden realization as it all crashed down on me and hit me like a wrecking ball. I let out a single sob as I looked at him, standing there, looking glorious as ever. This was not death or a dream, this was reality. Everything seemed real because everything _was_ real. I hadn't died, I was still alive and he was here. He'd come for, he'd found me, he'd saved me and he was standing right in front of me.

My savior…

My knight in shining amour…

My Mr. Darcy…

… Edward.


	27. Time is running out

_Hello folks…_

_I want to say thanks to StormRain0904, DramaQueen1996, ilovemyhorse, pizza003, Cullen0-Lover-101, VainVamp, TwilighterMindBodyAndSoul, HealThisHeartbreak, TeamEdward76, Sylvia Cullen, lionlambnatz, mindreadingweirdo, RunEdwardRun, lovedoves, Tough1As6Glass, EdwardLoverXXX, SwiftMotionGirl, bells254, sprinter1, ginnassar, cnelson, MadMonkeyz, Lolz2kaii9, lin stiernet, dinkie, Rebecca Cullen 1991, Tommygrl1997, t-shirt n pants, piccolover22, secretobsession7 and Honeybee1. Twi-Saga-Lover for their reviews. Thanks guys!_

_So this chapter is Edward's point of view and it sort of explains how he managed to get to Bella at the end of the last chapter and what happens from there. I really hope you guys like it._

_This chapter was a little rushed because my brother had introduced me to the wonder that is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and I played it for like 2 days straight and didn't get any writing done :S so I sat down and just totally churned this chapter out. I hope it's ok._

_This chapter is named after "Time is running out" by the wonderful and amazing Muse._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but wouldn't it be cool if I did?!_

* * *

Edward Cullen's Point of View

The airport, although crowded, was a welcoming sight when we finally arrived. The planes were flying high in the sky, people were walking around with luggage, annoyed parents were attempting to tell their children to come along. It was good to see because it meant we were at the right place. It was the final stop off before we got to Phoenix.

The four of us, Emmett, Jasper, my dad and myself, were in the busy waiting area, wishing that our plane would just hurry up and be called. After dad brought four tickets for the earliest flight possible and our passports had all been checked, it was just after 1am. Our plane was due in 45 minutes and it had to have been the longest 45 minutes of my whole life. It seemed like hours, almost as if time was going backwards or something. I could not sit down like the rest of my tired family. All I could do was pace, left and right, back and forth with my hands clasped nervously behind my back. I had been pacing a lot today, I was just tired of the constant waiting. My pacing was getting on Emmett's nerves and he told me countless times to just sit down, but I ignored him. The pacing gave me something to do. I just couldn't sit still.

After what seemed like a lifetime, our flight to Phoenix was called and we hurried onto the plane, boarding as quickly as we could. It was only a small flight which meant the seats came in two rows of two with an isle in the middle. Emmett and Jasper sat together whilst my dad and I took the seats behind them. The pilot did his usual boring announcements and the flight attendants told me what to do if I was going to somehow magically die and before long, the plane was in the air, making it's way to Bella as quickly as it possibly could.

_I'm coming my love... _

The ride was silent for a while, the only noise being that of the engines and the people talking around us. I leaned back into my seat and stared out of the window, looking out at the night sky in all its mysterious darkness, the only lights coming from the city of Seattle way down below. The ride seemed less tense on the rest of my family and I could not resist smiling to myself when I heard Emmett and Jasper having a thumb war with each other.

I was glad that they could be so relaxed. I'd give anything to be as chilled as they were right now and I wanted to be able to enjoy having a laugh with my brother and my friend, but I couldn't get Bella off of my mind and to be fair, I didn't want to. I needed to think about her all the time; I could not let my concentration slip. She came first before anything else. I just wanted to get to her as soon as possible.

It was currently 2am as the plane fly out of the Seattle skyline, and I knew that Phoenix was one hour ahead of Forks. That meant Bella would be waking up before us. It just meant we had one hour less to get to her. Our time was slowly running out.

I wasn't a religious person and to be honest, I never had been, but I prayed that she was ok. She had to be, she just had to be. If James or the damn Volturi had done anything to her, I'd never let them live it down. I knew I was just one guy, but I would avenge my Bella in anyway that I possibly could. If one little hair was hurt on her head, I would make them pay. I didn't know how I would do it, but I would not let them get away with it.

"You ok?" my father suddenly asked me, breaking me from my thoughts. He must have noticed my tense and distracted mood.

I turned to look at him, my face a little depressed and I nodded. "Yeah."

"It's ok to admit that you're scared you know," he said, giving me a warm smile.

"It is?"

"Yes, of course."

"Fine," I told him. "Then I'm absolutely terrified."

He chuckled to himself. "I know, son. I am too."

I smiled at him. We were all in the same situation here. Whether it was as a lover or as a friend, we were all concerned about Bella and we all wanted her back home safely. She had just gone, left, disappeared and it was our job to save her. Sure, the police would help, but we were witness protectors after all and we had to prove ourselves as such. We had never let anything happen to any of the others we had taken in and I'd be damned if I let anything happen to my Bella.

"So," my father began, changing the subject. "You and Bella, huh?"

Here it came, the interrogation that I was expecting. Well I supposed there is no time like the present…

"Yeah," I said. "Me and Bella."

"Hmmm…" he said thoughtfully. "Since New Years, was it?"

"Yeah," I replied. "We sort of… told each other our feelings then and it all went from there."

"How long have you liked her?"

"Since about a week or so after she got here," I explained, feeling surprisingly comfortable about having this conversation with my dad. It wasn't nearly as tense as I thought it was going to be.

"That fast huh?" he asked and I could tell that he was smirking.

"That fast," I replied, smiling to myself.

I'd never fallen for someone the way that I fell for Bella. I fell for her hard and I knew that when I realized my feelings, I'd never love another. She was the one for me and she was the only girl I'd ever want. I'd found my soul-mate in her and my feelings would never change, regardless of her own.

"You know, me and your mother never suspected anything," he said thoughtfully. "How come you never told us?"

"Because you always said you never wanted us getting too close to the witnesses," I explained. "You said that we could only be friends with them. I was worried about what you would say."

"Yes, we did say that," he told me. "But I can see the way you care for her, Edward. I can see your smile when I mention her; I can see how protective of her you are... Do you love her?"

"Yes," I nodded, not hesitating for a second with my answer. Of all the things in the world I was definite of, the love I had for Bella was one of them. He seemed pleased with my answer.

"Then we can't exactly stop you," he said calmly. I gave him a look of confusion, so he elaborated. "Sure, your mother and I can tell you not to get close to them; after all, we don't want to you to get hurt. But we can't stop your heart. You can't help who you fall in love with, Edward."

"Wow," I said, more to myself than anything. He was accepting us as a couple and it felt… good. "Thanks dad, but it… it doesn't matter anymore. I mean she left me. She doesn't love me anymore."

"I don't know," he replied. "I think she still does."

I let out a single amused breath. "You weren't there, dad," I replied. "She said she had no feelings for me, she said that she didn't love me."

"Perhaps she did, but you wouldn't chase after her the way you are if you knew there wasn't something there," he told me. Now he had me totally lost, so he continued. "Otherwise you would have let her go, even though you love her. You would have done what was best for her and just remained friends or something. You would have let her find someone else to be with. But the way you speak about her and protect her makes me think that there is something to fight for."

It was odd, but what my father said sort of made sense. Sure, I loved her like nothing else, but then I would have loved her enough to let her go. I would have remained her friend, but I would have let her live her life and find somebody else that she wanted to be with. Perhaps, somewhere deep down, I knew she did still love me and that's why I was fighting to be with her the way I was. It was like our hearts were connected and calling out to each other or something.

She still loved me… I knew she did.

I looked at my dad and smiled in realization. "I think you're right, dad. Thank you."

"Any time. It's obvious that there is still something there, so don't worry. We'll find her. I promise."

"Ok," I replied optimistically before leaning back again in my seat and looking out of the window. "Do you think… _mom_ would have liked Bella?" I had no idea where the question came from, since bringing up my mother in conversation always hurt, but I wanted to know his answer.

He sat in a thoughtful silence before he spoke. "I think your mother would have _loved_ her," he smiled.

"I think that too," I said with a smile, essentially ending the conversation, remembering my dad's advice and opinion.

I knew that she still loved me and I kept that in mind throughout the whole journey, hoping that my thoughts were true.

xXx

The plane finally touched down just as the sun was beginning to rise over the horizon. It was a brand new day in Phoenix - the day where we found Bella.

The heat was a shock to all of us, as was the sunshine. After spending my whole life in the rainy town of Forks, seeing the sun was a rare sight for me, but it filled me with confidence. The sun was a positive symbol and a symbol of the good in the world. Perhaps today was going to be a good day after all.

We grabbed the nearest taxi we could as soon as we exited the airport with our baggage. As soon as we were in the taxi, Emmett set up the laptop whilst dad phoned some local hotel for us to stop in. We luckily managed to get both a room and a signal on the laptop for Bella's location. From the flashing light on the laptop, it looked as if she was out of town, close to the middle of nowhere.

"Where to, buddy," the taxi driver asked, yawning from obviously doing the night shift last night.

"The Police Station please," my dad replied as he got off the phone to the hotel. "As quickly as you can."

I smirked when I saw my dad hand the driver a fifty dollar bill. The driver's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "You got it!"

The driver was speeding like a maniac, but I welcomed it. The quicker we got to the station, the better… but I didn't want to die in the process!

Phoenix was a whole lot bigger then Forks, probably about the same as Seattle. Since it was about 5 in the morning, the streets were very quiet. I was still shocked by the constant appearance of the sun that I didn't realize we had reached the Police Station until the taxi came to an abrupt halt. We flew out of the car, grabbing our bags, and bolted into the station as quickly as possible. The sight that greeted us was rather cliché - the policeman at the front desk had his feet propped up on his desk, a coffee and doughnut in hand. He looked up from his newspaper when he saw how flustered the four of us were.

"Can I help you?" he asked, his mouth full.

"My name is Carlisle Cullen," my father began in a hurry as he reached the desk. "I believe my wife phoned you with regards to Isabella Swan."

"I got this one, Joe," a police officer said as he came through the door. This guy was wearing a suit rather than the regulation police uniform and I could tell that this was the guy in charge. He approached my father and shook his hand. "Mr. Cullen, it's a pleasure. My name is Waylon Forge. I'm the officer working on Isabella's case."

"Pleased to meet you," my father replied.

"Your wife did indeed phone and filled me in on everything. You say Isabella is missing?"

"Since yesterday morning," I answered, eager to get the search for my Bella started. I grabbed the laptop from Emmett and shoved it into the officer's face, making him jump a little.

"What's this?" he asked, slightly bewildered.

After we finally filled him in on what we knew of the Volturi and explained what the laptop was, a plan was set into motion. Every available police officer was called in to help us. They knew what we were up against with the Volturi, so as many officers as possible were gathered. We managed to get over 60 in total, which surprised me considering it was 5am. It was like we had an army or something and in no time at all, we were all making our way to the Volturi in police cars, Officer Forge following Emmett's signal.

The drive seemed long and eventually we pulled up to a warehouse on the outskirts of town at about 5.45am. It was odd, but I didn't feel tired at all. I hadn't slept in over 24 hours, but the adrenaline running through my veins kept me perfectly awake. I looked at the warehouse, knowing that she was in there and I felt confident and positive. We were seconds away from her… mere seconds. Officer Forge turned to me and my family.

"Right, we're going in. It will be dangerous, so I need to remain here and keep quiet. We will be as quick as possible and I promise we will have Isabella with us." We all nodded and with that, he burst out of the car with the army of police, kicked down one of the doors of the warehouse once they approached it and totally raided the place.

The four of us sat in silence, the only sound being our breathing. We were all too scared to talk. The time passed and I knew they had only been gone a few minutes. To me it felt like hours and I couldn't stand it anymore. It shouldn't be the police saving her, it should be me. I was the one who should be protecting her, I was the one who should be saving her, I was the one who should rescue her. Me. I could feel my hands shaking in anticipation and I looked to the warehouse to see no-one coming out or making any movement.

I'd had enough…

"I'm going in," I said, quickly opening the car door and getting out, causing everyone to speak in disbelief and worry.

"Edward!" my dad shouted after me as I ran towards the warehouse. I ignored him. All I could think about now was her and how much I needed her. She was in there and she was in trouble, so I was going to get her out. I was unarmed and would more than likely get hurt, but I didn't care. She needed me and that was all that mattered.

The warehouse was dark when I entered and I then realized how big it really was. It was like a maze of corridors, all of them leading in different directions. This didn't put me off though as I began my search and I didn't give up hope. I must have gone down one corridor at least three times, but I didn't stop looking for her. Everywhere I went, I listened out for her and I looked out for her, leaving no place unturned. I came across no officers during my search, but that didn't concern me right now.

I turned down a corridor after about 10 minutes of searching, when I finally heard a man's voice. His voice was quiet, but definitely audible. It was the best lead I had at the minute, so I made my way towards the voice, swallowing hard in slight fear of what I might find. The man was in a room, a small one at that. I could see the inside of it through a small window in the door. The man appeared to be leaning over a person, completely blocking their face from my view. The man was tall and had… blond hair…

That's when I noticed the person below him, or more particularly the person's shoes. Alice had brought those shoes at the mall only a few months previous and she had given to them to…

I froze in shock.

I knew whose shoes they were… I knew who the guy hurting… who knew who was in there…

_Oh no he doesn't…_

Anger flew rampantly through my veins and I wanted to scream in fury. I burst through the door, clenching my fist and without thinking twice, I hit James square in the back of the head with all the strength I could muster, which considering how fast he was unconscious was pretty strong.

"Don't you DARE touch her," I growled at him as he fell limply onto the bed. The guy was a creep and a monster and I was glad that I got to him when I did. Nobody hurt my Bella…

… Bella!

That's when I looked at her and found that she was staring at me with her big brown doe eyes wide open in disbelief. Oh my god… she was ok… she was unharmed… she was here. My Bella.

"Bella?" I whispered as I slowly made my way to my angel. "Love?"

She could not stop staring, her mouth slightly agape, totally overwhelmed by the whole thing. She had tears in her eyes just like me. But that wasn't all that was in her eyes. I could see it now, the pure, unconditional love that she had for me and I now knew that she had never meant what she said. She did love me and she always had.

"Ed... Edward?" she whispered, her whole body shaking. I could hear the confusion and naivety in her voice, but I could also hear the pure fear in it too. I had no idea what had happened to her, but it obviously wasn't for the better.

I grabbed James body and lifted him off of her, throwing him to the ground with an echoing thump. She slowly sat up then, a little nervous and I cautiously sat on the bed next to her, hoping to comfort and reassure her in any way possible.

"Yes, it's me, love. I'm here. You're safe now, you don't have to worry anymore."

She looked at me a few seconds longer, almost as if she was assessing the truth of what was in front of her, almost as if my presence here was some sort of dream in her eyes. Slowly, she lifted her hand up and grazed her fingertips across my cheek. Her touch was magnificent, my whole body tingling at the mere feel of her skin upon mine once again. Nothing would ever feel as good as this… as good as her. Her fingertips ran across all of my face, slowly, gradually, bit by bit, checking for the reality of my presence. Her eyes sparkled after a while and I knew that it all must have registered in her head. I was here and I was here for her.

"Edward," she cried as she suddenly launched herself into my arms, wrapping her own around me and crying into my chest.

"I'm here, love. It's ok now," I told her, crying into her hair, rubbing her back soothingly. I could hardly breathe with how tightly she was holding me, but I could not complain. I was holding her just the same. The two of us could not stop sobbing… but I knew they were tears of joy.

She was here… in my arms… so soft and warm… finally with me at last. It was as if in that moment, all the sadness, pity and hatred I had been feeling over the past 24 hours disappeared into thin air and all I could feel now was relief, happiness and pure irrevocable love for the girl in front of me. Her tears were dampening my shirt, but that was the last thing I was thinking about, all I could see was her. Her form, her scent, her wet tears, the little sobs she was making, her soft skin and body holding my own…

I had done what I set out to do… I had saved her.

She pulled back then, her eyes red from crying and I had never seen a sight more beautiful in all my life.

"Is-is it r-really you?" she asked, her voice broken from crying. "P-please tell me it's y-you."

"Yes, love," I chuckled, moving her hair away from her face. "It's me. You don't have to be afraid anymore."

She cried with a smile then and I brought my lips to her face, kissing the salty tears away. I kissed her cheek, her nose, her forehead, her eyelids, everywhere. I just needed to assure her of my undying love. She collapsed back into me, nuzzling my neck and holding me close to her. My smile was huge and satisfied.

She was alright and she was safe at last.

"Are you hurt?" I asked, wondering if James had done anything to her.

She shook her head against my neck. "No, you g-got here j-j-just in time."

"Oh thank God," I said, sighing in relief. She was unhurt and that was all I could ask for.

I suddenly heard movement by the door and I immediately went on the defensive, shielding Bella and holding her close to me, ready to protect her. I wouldn't let her be afraid anymore, not now that I was here. I visibly relaxed when I saw that it was just Officer Forge, but he seemed angry… probably with me!

"Cullen! What the hell are you doing here? I asked you to remain in the car."

"I couldn't just leave her," I argued loudly. "I had to go and find her."

That's when he noticed Bella cradled in my arms and his face softened. "You... you found her."

"Yes," I nodded. He slowly approached her, just as I had done.

"Isabella? My name is Officer Forge. I helped you last year. Do you remember me?"

Bella nodded against my neck, holding me closer, almost as if she were scared. I gently stroked her hair in reassurance to let her know that I was there and I wasn't going anywhere. Obviously sensing that my Bella didn't want to talk right now, I changed the subject.

"Did you find anyone else?"

He laughed then. "Boy, we hit gold! We got every single one of the Volturi bastards. I suppose they weren't expecting us. We've been after these guys for years."

I smiled knowing that we had helped in some way. "So what now?" I asked.

"They've all been arrested and won't be granted bail, I can assure you that. Those guys are going to be locked up for a long time."

"What about Bella?" I inquired. What would happen to her now?… and where was her father for that matter?

"Isabella will need to answer a few questions for us I'm afraid. She'll have to come down to the station."

Bella whimpered at Officer Forge's statement and I just held her closer. "Can't it wait? She's been through enough, just let her rest a while," I argued.

He paused for a few seconds before he answered. "Fine. Take her to a hotel and let her rest. Come to the station in the morning."

I nodded at him, knowing it was the best deal we were going to get at that moment. "Is that ok, love?" I whispered into Bella's ear. She nodded her assent.

"Good," Officer Forge smiled. "Now come on, let's get you out of here." He turned and stuck his head out of the door. "John, can we get someone in here. I found another." I knew then that he was referring to James' unconscious body that was lying on the floor. I really hadn't known my own strength.

"Bella, can you walk?" I asked her softly.

"Yes," she whispered before we both stood and got to our feet. I kept my arm around her waist and pulled her close. Nobody was taking her from me any time soon. We left the small room and walked down the long dank corridor, following Officer Forge. I gave Bella a few concerned glances every now and then… I just needed to know that she was alright. A few officers ran past us, obviously going to collect James. Bella's grip on me didn't loosen any less, but I welcomed it. I just needed to know she was there.

We continued walking through the cold horrible warehouse until the exit was in sight, the bright Phoenix sun shining through the open doorway. I let out a breath that I didn't even realize I had been holding in. We were safe at last.

Then I saw him…

I spotted him out of the corner of my eye, his arms handcuffed behind his back, a police officer leading him through the corridor. I froze to the spot and physically began to shake at the shock of seeing him after all this time. Anger was surging through my veins, threatening to boil over at the mere sight of him. Hot fury took me over.

He was just how I remembered him. Clean, crisp suit, not a crease in sight. His hair was long and black, flowing down his back and across his shoulders. And just like before, there was not a hint of remorse in his cold deathly eyes. Even after 12 years, he still didn't care that he was hurting people… he still didn't care that he was hurting me.

"Edward?" Bella asked me in a soft and tender voice, trying to bring me back to reality. She must have noticed my shaking stance. Yet, I could not tare my eyes from his hateful form as it proceeded to approach me. Bella must have followed my eye line because she suddenly gasped at the man in front of us. I gritted my teeth, knowing that I had to keep Bella safe rather than approach him.

He lifted his head at the sound of Bella's gasp and looked at her then at me, giving me a smug smile and a snigger. I clasped my hand in a fist at my side, trying to calm myself down.

I couldn't believe that after 12 years, I was looking at him again.

Aro… my mother's killer.


	28. Pure morning

_Hey everyone!_

_Thanks go out to HealThisHeartbreak, VainVamp, gaby47, animal8, Sylvia Cullen, ilovemyhorse, lionlambnatz, TeamEdward76, MadMonkeyz, Cullen0-Lover-101, cnelson, piccolover22, sprinter1, dinkie, AlyssaLutz, pizza003, mindreadingweirdo, secretobsession7, lin stiernet, TwilighterMindBodyAndSoul, RunEdwardRun and twilightluver39 for their reviews. Thank guys. They always keep a smile on my face._

_It wasn't until I was writing this chapter that I thought "oh god, this story is almost over!" and then I got depressed and ended up eating chocolate… which wasn't that bad really! There isn't long till the end now, folks. This chapter will be the last one from Edward's point of view, which is sad. I'll miss him! The rest of the story will be Bella. So stick with it, guys._

_This chapter is named after "Pure morning" by Placebo. I love this song!_

_Enjoy…_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, not a single bit of it._

* * *

Edward Cullen's Point of View

Aro…

The man who essentially destroyed my entire life…

For twelve long years he had been hurting me in some way or another, making me carry an unbearable pain throughout my life. Killing my mother, breaking my family apart, taking my Bella from me, it was like he was personally out for me… and I didn't know what I had done to make him do these things to me. In my eyes, he was the most hateful creature on the planet, he shouldn't be allowed to walk this earth, he shouldn't be allowed to breathe this air, especially after all he had done to the world and I wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug grin off of his face…

So I did.

Reluctantly letting go of my Bella, I felt like some sort of demon had been woken inside of me, a demon that had been kept caged and imprisoned for twelve long and lonely years, fighting to escape at the most opportune moment. This moment happened to be now. The mere sight of this man set the demon off, getting him wild and crazy in a thirst for violence and blood and I did nothing to stop it. I let it take over my body. It wanted its revenge.

_Get him, Edward. He hurt us once and he tried to do it again. Don't let him win…_

With the demon's words fresh in my mind, I took forceful steps towards Aro, clenching my fist as tightly as possible. I drew it back and hit him square in the nose with every ounce of strength that I could muster, causing his face to fly to the side, the thump of the impact echoing through the corridor.

"Edward!" Bella screamed from behind me, but I didn't listen, the demon didn't listen, I was too taken over by anger to do anything more than take some form of revenge. I just looked at _her_ killer, wanting him to feel at least an ounce of the pain I had felt in my life. I was a little surprised when the police officer holding him didn't budge or flinch at my violent outburst, but I didn't care if he did anyway. Perhaps he had seen my angry, irate face or perhaps the blow I had just struck upon Aro had made him think twice about approaching me. Either way, he kept his distance.

Aro, brought his face back round to look at me and I could see a lot of blood around his nose, dribbling down his face. With any luck, I'd broken it.

"I bet you don't remember me, do you?" I told him through gritted teeth, my chest heaving in angry breathes. "But you made my life a living hell."

He merely stared at me and made no move to speak, so I continued.

"For years you ruined my life, it was totally destroyed thanks to you. You broke my heart and my soul and I bet you don't even remember what you did, do you?"

"Please, do enlighten me," he said with a smile, spitting blood fom his mouth.

"YOU KILLED MY MOTHER, YOU BASTARD!" I screamed, lashing out, hitting him again, stronger this time. At that point, the police officer spoke up, telling me to stop. I ignored him. The demon was taking what was his.

"You hurt me so much, you took _everything_ from me. And when I finally got my life back on track," I pointed to Bella behind me, "you almost hurt me again. Well no more, buddy. No more."

"Or what?" Aro tried, licking blood from his lips. He was mocking me, he thought this was funny.

_He took our mother and he was about to take our Bella. Make him pay…_

I was filled to the brim with fury and I punched him again, relieved to be getting my anger out at last.

"You killed her! You kidnapped Bella and almost ruined her life as well. I bet you killed her father too, huh?" I was literally seething.

"Edward! Stop!" Bella cried out suddenly. Her voice suddenly got through to me and stopped the demon in its tracks, almost as if she were the cure to kill it, and I was me again. I turned to look at her and saw the tears cascading down her cheeks, tainting her perfect face. Her body was shaking and she seemed… scared.

"You should listen to Isabella," Aro said to me quietly.

"And you should shut up," I told him in anger. I could feel the demon and the anger beginning to brim again, wanting to be unleashed to finish the job. I pulled back my fist, ready to hit him for a fourth time. I had hit him three times and I had hit James once. I felt as if I were on a roll and was not afraid of the consequences.

"Cullen, enough!" Officer Forge said as he approached me and restrained me. He grabbed me around my shoulders and started to pull me back.

"Let me go," I asked him calmly.

"Cullen, you've caused enough damage. You've hit him, just be done with it."

"NO! He killed my mother," I screamed into the warehouse.

"Unless you want me to lock you up too, you will get the hell out of here and let us take care of it."

My body was still tense as I kept my eyes upon Aro's bloody face. I hadn't done nearly enough damage and I knew the demon was not satisfied enough…

_Destroy him! Nobody takes our Bella from us. Nobody…_

"Edward… please," I heard Bella whimper from behind me and I automatically relaxed. She had sedated the demon within me once again. He must love her too, there was no other explanation for the way she could calm me or him. Officer Forge cautiously relaxed his grip on me. I took one small step towards Aro, acting as calmly as possible, showing that I was not about to resort to violence again. I looked him directly in the eye so that he could see not only my tears, but my anger too.

"I hope you rot in hell," I whispered before I turned and headed over to Bella.

She seemed apprehensive about my approach to her, especially after my sudden outburst, but she seemed to relax when I offered her that lop sided grin she loved so much. When I reached her, I took her in my arms and kissed the top of her head. She wrapped her arms around me and returned the hug, burying her face in my chest.

"Are you ok?" she asked me, her voice muffled by my shirt.

"I am now, love," I said tenderly, happy that she had restrained the demon. "Thank you for bringing me back."

"Cullen, I thought I told you to get out of here," Officer Forge warned me. I had a feeling that he didn't like me at the moment.

"Yes, sir," I replied before I began leading Bella from the warehouse, my revenge finally taken. At least I had made Aro pay some kind of price for everything he had put me through. At least now he would get his comeuppance in prison.

I couldn't wait to be out of this place and back into the sunlight again, back to my family. I was feeling very tired and I just wanted to sleep. I took a glance at Bella and smiled to myself knowing that I had her back. That's when a previous thought quickly came to mind.

"Have you heard anything about your father?"

Bella physically tensed up then and it confused me a little. Her eyes widened for the briefest moment and she remained silence.

"I don't want to talk about it," she whispered after a quick pause.

_O-Kay?_

"Bella, I don't understand."

"I said, I don't want to talk about it," she said in an outburst, apparently shocking herself. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout," she quickly apologized.

I was totally baffled. Had they killed her father, was he not there? I didn't get it, why didn't she want to talk about it. I didn't want to push her into speaking though. She seemed emotionally unbalanced enough at the minute, I didn't want to make her any worse. All I wanted to do now was take her to the hotel and help her relax and make her feel better. I didn't want her to be in pain anymore.

"Alright," I smiled. "Come on, I know Emmett can't wait to see you."

She seemed happy by this and we continued our walk out of the warehouse.

Many police officers were running around the warehouse, many of them with handcuffed Volturi members. It was good to see justice finally being delivered. At least they wouldn't hurt anyone else anymore. That's when I heard Bella gasp and I saw her looking at a police officer and a handcuffed man. The man had brown hair and a brown moustache. Whilst he seemed to be wearing old scruffy looking clothes, he seemed quite tall and had eyes… very similar to Bella's.

"Bella," the man said pleadingly as he passed us, tears brimming in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I'm so sorry. Don't let them take me."

Bella made no reaction to him, her face remaining blank and the officer continued to lead him away, her eyes watching every movement. I saw her chest rising and falling quickly at the sight of the man, so I kissed her cheek to reassure her. She seemed to grip my shirt tighter, almost as if she were afraid of the man.

"Who was that?" I asked once the man was out of sight.

"I said, I didn't want to talk about it," she whispered.

She didn't want to talk about it? Hang on… was that... her _father_?

Something was definitely wrong here. Something was on her mind, something about her father and she wasn't letting me know about it. It was obviously hurting her to think about it and one look of that man had her petrified. But I would let her be for now and I wouldn't push her, she had been through enough. I would let her rest and recover, but I would have to ask her about it at some point. I didn't want her to suffer in silence. I just wanted to help her.

We finally walked out of the warehouse and into the pure Phoenix morning sunlight. It was bright, warm and refreshing on our faces, the exact opposite of Bella's cell.

"God, that sunlight feels so good," I smiled. Bella nodded in agreement, but didn't seem to say or do much else. I was worried.

"BELLA!" Emmett suddenly exclaimed, running over to us from a police car. He picked Bella up when he reached us and began laughing as he twirled her in circles. "I missed you, kiddo."

"Hi, Emmett," Bella smiled once he put her down, but the smile didn't go up to her eyes like it usually did. I didn't have time to question it because my father and Jasper quickly joined us.

"Oh thank god," Jasper said when he saw that Bela was alright and unharmed.

"Bella, are you alright?" my father asked gently as he embraced her in a hug. "Are you hurt in any way?"

"No. I'm just tired," she said quietly. Her attitude was concerning me. She wasn't her lively, bubbly self. She seemed distant.

"I think we should get to the hotel. Bella needs to rest," I suggested, my family approving. I wrapped an arm around Bella, leading us to the police car that would escort us to the hotel. We all quickly got in and I made sure to seat myself next to my Bella. Now I had her back, I was never letting her go again. I kept my arm around her as she rested her head on my shoulder and the police officer driving the car pulled away and headed onto the road.

She remained quiet for the whole journey.

"What will happen now?" Jasper asked as we took the long drive to the hotel.

"Officer Forge said to bring Bella to the station tomorrow morning for questioning," I explained. "I just want her to rest for now."

"I agree," my father said. "Bella needs to relax and talk to us if possible. She's going to have a lot on her mind and it will really help her to get it all out in the open."

"How does that sound, love?" I whispered to her.

"Can we just get to the hotel?" she answered, avoiding the question.

"Of course," I replied, kissing her forehead.

The drive was long and quiet. All of us seemed to have a lot on our minds, not most of all Bella. I didn't know what could possibly be going through her head right now... Kidnapped, almost raped, no sign of her father… well, she seemed to know something about him but I couldn't figure out what. My dad was right, talking about it would help her. She could get all her emotions out and get everything off her mind. It would be better for her in the long run and could help her recover much quicker. I just wanted what was best for her right now.

The hotel was massive and immaculate when we finally got there. I knew my dad must have paid a truck full to get us in a hotel like this. Chandeliers, marble floors, gold trims on everything, the place was posh! We got straight out of the police car, our bags in hand and checked in, taking everything in with our eyes. I couldn't believe how amazing this place was. Once we got in the large elevator, complete with golden railings and the softest carpet, and reached the 6th floor, we finally got to our room.

For a hotel room, it was huge! Leather sofa and 2 recliners, large flat screen, full mini-bar, a giant fridge and 2 balconies, one in the main room and one in the bedroom. It had two bedrooms with king size beds and we agreed on Bella staying with me, Jasper and Emmett taking the second room and my father taking the fold-out sofa. We dropped the bags as soon as we got into the room and decided to take a better look around. Emmett, as usual, went straight to the fully stocked fridge, Jasper turned the TV on whilst my dad phoned my mother to tell her of the progress.

"Do you want anything to eat?" I asked Bella.

"No thank you," she replied. "I just want a lie down."

"Come on then," I said softly and led her into the bedroom closing the door behind us. Nobody asked any questions, they knew we needed some sort of privacy. It wasn't just what happened to Bella that we needed to talk about, it was us as a couple too. Sure, we had been reunited, but nothing had been said about us or what we were now. I didn't know were I stood. I wanted nothing more than to be with Bella again, I just needed to know how she felt. Yet, that wasn't a priority at that moment. I just wanted Bella to talk to me; I wanted her to be herself again. I couldn't stand to see her so depressed. This experience had obviously scarred her and I was worried that she would be like this for a while.

I just wanted the old Bella back.

She took a seat on the bed when she entered the room and placed her hands in her lap whilst looking out of the window in silence. I quietly locked the door before moving and taking a seat next to her. She seemed very still apart from her breathing chest and her blinking eyes. She was obviously deep in thought.

"You should sleep, love," I tried, putting a loose piece of hair behind her ear. "You need to rest." It was only 9am, but she should relax and she should sleep. All of us were tired and I didn't want her to be too stressed.

"You know, I never thought I'd ever see the sun again," she said, ignoring my statement, looking blankly through the window. "I'd already accepted that I would never lay eyes on it ever again."

"Bella," I tried, her words hitting me hard. She had… accepted death. She had stared it straight in the eye and she knew it was coming. I would never know what that felt like and I felt automatic anger and sadness that my Bella had had to go through something as dark as that.

"I never remembered it being so bright," she commented and her lips began to curl a little at the edges. "It's… so beautiful. I can't believe I'm looking at it again. I didn't think I ever would."

Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around her and cradled her to me, rocking her gently. I slowly felt my shirt getting wet with her tears and I knew she was crying. "Don't think like that, Bella," I told her.

"But I'm not supposed to see it, Edward," she sobbed into my chest. "I'm supposed to be dead."

"No you're not," I said, pulling away from her and holding her face in my hands, making her look at me. "You aren't _supposed_ to be dead, Bella. You are supposed to be alive. You are supposed to be living a long and happy life, and that's what you're going to do."

"But everything is ruined," she said, her face looking heartbroken.

"Nothing is ruined. I'm here, Bella. Everything that happened between us is in the past -"

"It's not that," she interrupted.

"Then what is it?" I asked, praying that she would finally let me help her.

"It's… everyone else. I've lost everyone."

"No you haven't," I said, trying to reassure her, brushing my thumbs across her cheeks to catch her tears. "You have me and my family, and I'm sure your dad is close by. We will find him."

"No you won't, he's gone. I never want to see him again," she said quietly, removing her face from my hands. Her tears stopped then. She suddenly stood up and began pacing the room, almost as if she was having an internal debate.

"Bella... what happened?" I asked as I watched her. I needed to know, I needed to know how to fix my Bella. I needed to know what had happened with her father to make her be this way.

After a while, she stopped her pacing and looked at me, her eyes red and puffy from crying. The sight broke my heart and caused my breathing to hitch at the sudden shock of seeing her looking so broken.

"He did it," she whispered. "He did it all."

"I don't understand," I said, standing up and walking over to her. I took her hands in mine when I reached her.

"It wasn't Aro at all. It was all _his_ idea. My mother's murder, my kidnap, it was all him."

"I'm lost," I tried and if I was honest, I was afraid of hearing what she had to say. Nothing could have prepared me though for what she did say. Her words shocked me to the core.

"My dad," she said, avoiding eye contact. "He was behind it all. He did it."

I actually stopped breathing. Her father?

"But how… when… what?" This didn't seem right. Her father killed her mother?

"He's a member of the Volturi and none of us knew. Did the whole thing for money… he killed my mother… and almost killed me... for money."

"Oh my god…" I whispered in disbelief, running my hand trough my hair. I'd heard some crazy things in my life, but this just seemed to top it all. Her own father killed her mother. It was unreal… crazy… insane. What kind of man does that?

"He killed my mother… and tried to kill me," she said before she started sobbing like crazy. I immediately moved and held her safely in my arms, keeping her as close to me as possible. I rubbed her back and tried to calm her down. The only problem was that it wasn't her sadness that I was worried about the most, it was my anger. After everything she had gone through for him, after the way she spoke of him and the way she loved him, he was planning to kill her the whole time. Her own father. I wanted him dead as much as I did Aro. The pair of them, they were monsters, sick vile monsters who didn't deserve a life in this world.

"It's ok, love," I assured her. "I'm going to take care of you now. I promise."

"Thank you," she whispered against my chest. "Don't leave me, please don't."

"I promise," I said, my voice filled with passion. "I'll never leave you."

We stood there in silence for a while after that, just holding each other and letting everything that had been said sink in. I had managed to calm the demon and my anger down. All I wanted to concentrate on now was Bella and making her better. I wanted her happy again. It killed me to see her crying in despair and I would do what ever I could to bring the old Bella back. As I held her, I could see her head and eyes drooping a little.

"Are you tired, love?" I chuckled, trying my very hardest to cheer her up.

She lifted her head to look at me. "A little," she smiled.

"Come on, you should rest," I said, wrapping an arm around her waist and leading her over to the double bed.

"I... I don't have any night clothes," she said, biting her bottom lip in embarrassment, her blush appearing profusely. By God, how I had missed it!

I smiled at her statement. Considering it was 9am, it would be odd for her to be wearing night clothes. "I'll get you something," I told her. I went over to my bag and pulled out an old t-shirt and a pair of boxers for her to wear. She took the clothes with a thank you and went into the en-suite bathroom to get changed. I didn't bother getting changed. I just took my shoes off; I was willing to sleep in my clothes.

It wasn't until I was taking my shoes off that I realized how tired I truly was. I hadn't slept in over 24 hours and the time was definitely catching up on me. The constant stress had made me feel fatigued and I couldn't wait to finally close my eyes. I could feel my body shutting down and preparing for sleep already. The bathroom door suddenly opened and Bella came out. She had clearly splashed water on her face as it was now free of tears and I could not resist smiling at her.

God, she looked good in my clothes.

My heart swelled with joy when she smiled back and I could see my Bella slowly coming back. I hoped her road to recovery wouldn't take too long.

"Are you… uh… going to stay with me whilst I sleep?" she asked bashfully and I could see her blush once again.

"Of course," I replied. "I promised you. I'm not leaving you… ever."

She seemed pleased by this and quickly ran over to the bed and got in. I quickly followed suit. I was over the moon when Bella snuggled up to me, resting her head on my chest. I could not help but hold my angel in return. We just lay there in silence for a while and let the sun cast its warm pure morning rays down onto us through the window. I wanted to stay in this moment forever. We were happy and we were free... but most of all, we were together.

"Edward?" Bella yawned and I knew that sleep was upon her.

"Yes?" I replied, playing with a piece of her hair.

"Thank you for rescuing me."

"You're welcome, love," I smiled, happy that I had done what I set out to do and I had saved her just like I said I would. "Now sleep, we'll talk more when we wake up."

"Ok," she said before she nestled down into me. Before long, her breathing became steady and I could feel her chest rising and falling peacefully in sleep.

I knew that when I woke up, I'd have a lot to think about and a lot to do. We needed to take Bella to the police station for questioning... I'd probably be taken in for questioning... we had to figure out what was happening between Bella and I and we would need to know what to do with Bella now that her father had been arrested… her bastard of a father.

But all of that could wait. For now, all I could think about was the perfect creature sleeping soundly in my arms again. She was what mattered now.

I had her back and as I slowly drifted off to sleep, I knew that I would keep my promise and never let her go again.


	29. You belong with me

_Hi everyone!_

_Thanks to SpAzZy CaUsE tHaT's Me, pizza003, lionlambnatz, ilovemyhorse, Sylvia Cullen, VainVamp, gaby47, mindreadingweirdo, TeamEdward76, BabyBear08, t-shirt n pants, TwilighterMindBodyAndSoul, animal8, secretobsession7, twilightluver39, Cullen0-Lover-101, Lov3good, sprinter1, misscullenwannabe95, Fangirl12, spannieren, Daphne83nl, SwiftMotionGirl and cnelson for their reviews. Thanks so much guys. _

_So… this is that last chapter before the epilogue, guys! I can't believe it, it's almost over! We have almost come to the end :( Buts it's been fun, hasn't it!_

_This chapter is named after "You belong with me" by Taylor Swift. I love this song and the video is awesome and so sweet._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight… nuff said._

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

My eyes slowly fluttered open, awaking from sleep, and I was pleasantly surprised to feel a soft warm bed under my tired body. It was a gentle mattress, and my body was covered with the softest quilt, not to mention the cushiony pillow that lay under my head. It was a vast change from my cell… _Had I died? _But it was the sunlight shining down on me that confused me the most. It was warm and welcoming and oh so beautiful.

I had not dreamt yesterday and I had not died. It was all real and I had been saved.

I let out a sigh of contentment after stretching my weary body. I relaxed more into the bed, checking the clock. 7 Am. That meant I had slept for an entire 22 hours! Though, I wasn't surprised, especially after everything I had been through.

I smiled.

I _had _been saved… I was no longer in the warehouse… I was no longer set to die…

I could live out my life just as I had wanted to, I wasn't in any danger and all was well in the world… well almost everything. Something, or more exactly _someone_, was missing from this perfect picture. I knew he was here because I remembered him rescuing me and taking care of me. He had held me and he had looked too perfect in my eyes to have been a mere dream.

I looked around the hotel bedroom in search of him, scanning every inch that my eyes glanced at. I looked to the balcony and let out a quiet gasp at the sight before me.

There he stood in all his amazing glory. He had a soft white shirt on, blue jeans and he was barefoot. He was looking out over the balcony at the city of Phoenix. His back was to me, but his hair shone in the sunlight, the different shades of bronze and brown glistening on his head creating the most gorgeous palette of colors. The sunlight gave him an odd sort of glow and he looked like a true angel standing there.

He was literally a vision of perfection… _my _vision of perfection… or so I hoped.

I had yet to find the best way to approach him about the topic of 'us'. I mean, would he still want me after everything that had happened? Would he still want me after the lies I fed him and the way I treated him? I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with Edward Cullen, to love him everyday and to make him happy, but this wasn't up to me. This was his choice and I would live with it no matter what he chose.

I thought back to yesterday, to the way he looked at me and held me, to the way he spoke my name and took care of me. Did he still love me or was he showing pity and compassion to a person in trouble? I prayed it was love, because I didn't know what I'd do with myself if he ever left my life. When I left him before, I knew that death was imminent and so I had accepted that I would never see him again. But now he was here, before me, taking care of me and I just needed him to return my feelings.

I loved him and I wanted him to love me too.

_Well there's no time like the present!_

With a determined face, I slowly pulled the quilt back and got out of the bed. I was used to the cold hitting my skin in the morning, but I was instead greeted by the warmth of the Phoenix sun rather than the Forks cold. I put the quilt back to where it belonged and slowly made my way out to the balcony to meet Edward.

He was standing there, his eyes looking out beyond him and his hands were gripping the railings of the balcony. I stood to his right and copied his stance. He didn't acknowledge my presence, but I knew he had seen me because I felt his eyes dart to see my hands on the railings. Neither of us spoke, we just stood there, looking out into the Phoenix morning. It really was a beautiful morning. The sun was shining down and brightening up the city, cars were zooming by, people were on their way to work, shops were beginning to open up and the world was going about its business.

I was too scared to say anything even though I wanted nothing more than to talk to him at that moment. I was scared that he would reject me. I was afraid that I would tell him of my love and he would just throw it back in my face, telling me I had hurt him enough. I wouldn't be able to live without him, but I was panicking over the fact that I might have to.

We could have stood there in the pure silence for hours for all I knew. Time held a new meaning for me now. It was precious and beautiful and not something that should be pointlessly wasted. Yet here I was now, doing nothing when I could be talking to my Edward and setting things right.

_But what if he doesn't love me?_

Yet, I did not have to worry for long because Edward suddenly grabbed me and pulled me to him, holding me tightly against him in a loving embrace. I was a little surprised by his suddenness, but not for long as I wrapped my arms around him and held him to me. He buried his face in my hair and I could feel his tears as he cried and repeatedly kissed my head. I nuzzled my face into his chest and cried too. Tears of pure joy fell from my eyes and I knew that he would forgive me. His heart was good and kind and giving and I knew that he would offer me a second chance.

"My Bella," he kept repeating. "My Bella... My Bella... My sweet beautiful Bella."

"Edward," I said, kissing his chest where his shirt lay open. I just needed him to feel my touch, to feel my love. He had to know that my feelings were still as real as the day I fell in love with him.

We stood and embraced for as long as we possibly could, just holding and caressing each other, just like the old times. We were in our own little bubble, the two of us just wrapped in each other with not a care for anything else. I let him take over my senses - his touch, his scent, his perfect form. I could only think about Edward.

_Talk to him, Bella…_

My sub-conscious was right; I had put it off long enough. We needed to talk. I slowly pulled away, but refused to leave his arms. I looked tenderly at his perfect face.

"You're crying," I observed, seeing his tear-stained face.

"So are you," he smiled, wiping away my own tears as they fell.

"I am? Then… we're both crying," I said, laughing a little.

"So we are," Edward said to me, caressing my hair. We were silent for a while, just staring at each others faces. I could never tire of staring at his face. It was my most favorite thing in the world. His eyes were as bright and green as ever, glistening slightly in the sunlight due to his tears.

"I… I'm sorry," I said eventually, sniffing my nose, my emotions getting the best of me once again. "I'm so sorry." I quickly put my face back into his chest.

"So am I," he told me quietly. "I'm sorry too."

_What?! _

This caused me to pull my head away and look up at him in utter confusion. "I don't understand. You didn't do anything. It's all _my_ fault."

"I promised you that I'd never let you get hurt," he said in earnest. "And I broke that promise."

"And I promised I'd never leave you," I replied. "But I did."

He smiled my favorite lopsided grin. "We are quite a pair, aren't we?"

"Both as bad as one another," I smiled, hugging him to me. "But I still need to apologize, Edward."

"Bella, it's fine. I don't need an apology."

"He made me do it," I said, ignoring him. I needed to get everything out in the open; I needed to tell him the whole story. "James… he told me to finish with you… he said he would hurt you if I didn't… I didn't want to leave you, but - "

I was suddenly cut off when Edward placed his lips upon mine and kissed me with every ounce of passion that he had. I melted into that kiss and kissed him in return. I was home… this was where I belonged… here, with Edward… the two of us together. This was what I wanted and this was what felt right. We eventually broke apart and he placed his forehead on mine. A smile was playing on his lips.

"Silly girl," he smiled. "What happened between us is in the past, love. We can forget about it, I have. All I want now is you and your love. Hell, I don't _want_ it, I _need_ it. I need you Bella. Without you, I'm nothing. Please. Can I have that? Will you be mine?"

"Of course," I said. "You have always had me. I may have left but my heart never did, Edward. It always belonged to you, even when it didn't seem like it."

"Then that's all I need," he said, kissing me again.

Oh god… he still loved me, even after everything I had put him through… even through all the lies, all the deceit, all of the problems, he loved me. We had come through it all, unscathed, stronger than ever before. Nothing could tare us apart, our relationship had been tested, it had been sent to the edges of the universe and back, it had had every possible thing thrown at it… and we had come out on top. Our love had been proven true and strong.

"I love you," Edward said when we finished our kiss. "So much."

"I love you too," I smiled before I moved to kiss him again. He cradled my head in his hands as I wrapped my arms around his waist. We stood there for hours, kissing, cuddling, embracing. The moment was perfect.

Before long, Edward pulled away. "I have something for you."

"What is it?" I asked, both confused and excited at the same time.

He reached into his pocket and pulled something out. He asked me to hold out my hand and I did. Into it, he dropped something metal and warm. I looked down and saw his mother's bracelet in my palm. I thought back to when I had taken it off and left it on my bedside table before I left to meet James. It had been one of the hardest things I had done and I would forever hate myself for doing it. The bracelet looked as gorgeous as ever.

"This is yours," he told me. "I just… looked after it whilst you were away."

I chuckled at his words before I gave it him to put on me. Once it was wrapped around my wrist, back in its rightful place, I pulled him to me once again and crashed my mouth onto his. He smiled against my lips before returning the kiss.

Yes, this was where I belonged, this was home.

xXx

The whole family accompanied me to the police station that morning - Carlisle, Jasper, Emmett and Edward - all of them claiming that they wanted to give me the support I needed. I knew that it was just to keep me safe and to see if I was alright. I really did love them all.

The questioning didn't last too long. They asked me exactly what I expected to be asked. How it all happened, what the Volturi said to me, what they did to me, if I knew any other information... They were pretty straight forward questions which I answered easily. I told them everything I knew. I told them about my father, the plan for my mother's death, how they planned to kill me, how they had found me. I told them every ounce of information that I knew. I wanted to give them any evidence that I could so that Aro, James and my pathetic father would be locked up for a very long time.

Edward sat with me during the whole interview, keeping my hand tightly held in his. He never let go of it, not once.

With all my questions answered, I was free to leave. It was 2pm and I wanted nothing more than to get out of the police station. I just wanted freedom.

"What will happen to Isabella now?" Carlisle asked Officer Forge as we filled out some paper work at the front desk.

_Hmmm… good question._

"Well that is up to Isabella," Officer Forge explained. "Since she is under 18, she will need to stay with a guardian of some sort. A family relative perhaps."

I nodded.

"Perhaps she could stay with us," Carlisle said. "At least until a relative is found."

Officer Forge agreed on this, saying he would get in touch with one of my faily members as soon as possible. As soon as everything was sorted out and finished and we had said our goodbyes to the officer, we booked plane tickets back to Forks. That was where I wanted to be right now. Phoenix, although my home for so many years, held too many bad memories for me. Everything bad in my life happened here. My mother's death, my almost death, the truth about my father… I just wanted to return to Forks, back to where my life was good.

The plane journey was quiet. Edward didn't question me - he knew that I wanted the peace and quiet. His silence gave me a lot of time to think. What _would _happen to me now? Would I be sent to live with a relative, would I be able to live on my own? I could live with my Gran, or my aunt and uncle…

_True, but we all know where you really want to stay._

The truth was that I wanted to stay with the Cullens. I wanted to stay in Forks with the family that I had come to know and adore. I wanted to stay with Edward and never part from him again. I didn't want to go to some relative that I barely knew. I wanted to stay with the people who loved me and knew me. I wanted the Cullens.

But I would just have to wait and see what happened. It was only half a year until I turned 18 and then I would be free to choose where and who I lived with. I wanted to go to college when I graduated school to study English. I would go to Dartmouth with Edward, that's what we both wanted. We had already planned it one night when neither of us could sleep. We had planned the whole thing. We would graduate and go to Dartmouth together and rent a little apartment. The plan was so perfect to me and it's all I wanted.

But at least I was still living with the Cullens for now. That was enough for me. I just wanted to be with them for as long as possible.

Our plane landed on time and we were soon in Carlisle's Mercedes, enjoying the ride home. I had never been so glad to see the green trees and the grey rain clouds of Forks. It was a welcoming sight and a sight that I thought I'd never see again. I would never take it for granted… ever. To me, Forks was my one and only home and I would always love it.

We drove up the oh-so-familiar drive way after about half an hour. As soon as the car pulled up to the front of the house, Alice came bolting out of the front door, her arms wide open, her eyes red with unshed tears.

"Bella!" she cried as she ran towards us.

"Alice!" I shouted as I quickly got out of the car and ran towards her. I wrapped my arms around her and embraced her in a hug when we met. Her tears were soaking my jacket.

"Oh, Bella!" she said so happily. "I missed you so much… are you alright?… what happened?… are you staying with us?… oh, Bella."

"I'm fine, Alice," I laughed. "I'm just glad to be home."

We embraced for a little while longer before the pixie finally spoke. "Well," she said, pulling away and grabbing my hand, walking me to the house. "We are glad to have you back. We missed you."

Edward and Emmett continued emptying the car of bags whilst Alice, Jasper, Carlisle and I made our way into the house.

"Bella, sweetheart!" Esme exclaimed when she saw me. She was crying too and grabbed me into a hug much the same as Alice did. I had a funny feeling that people were going to be doing this to me for a while! A third person joined our hug and I soon saw that it was Rosalie. I had missed her too. Her wonderful gossip and brilliant sense of humor. Hell, I missed everyone and was beyond blissful to be back with them.

As we pulled away from the hug, I glanced around the house. It had not changed a bit. Sure, I had only been gone a few days, but it still felt like a lifetime since I had set foot into this wonderful place, this place filled with so many memories, both good and bad. But I chose to remember the good rather than the bad. The bad things were in the past. It was the good things that I wished to concentrate on now.

A pair of arms suddenly wrapped around me from behind and I smiled at his touch. "Welcome home," he whispered into my ear before he kissed my temple.

"Glad to be home," I replied.

That's when I suddenly saw Carlisle and Esme staring at us and I suddenly tensed up. They had spotted us, we had been caught, and they seemed… _happy?!_

But how… but they shouldn't… they aren't supposed… hang on!

"Do they, uh, know about us?" I whispered to Edward.

"Yeah," he said, running a hand through his hair. "It kind of… slipped out."

"But they seem so happy."

"Because they are, love. It's ok, they accept us."

I felt elated all of a sudden. No more sneaking around, no more secret relationship, no more lying. They knew and they were happy. We could show the world our love for each other. We didn't have to hide it anymore. If I would have made a fool out of myself for doing it, I would have cried in that moment… pure tears of happiness and contentment.

As soon as everybody had welcomed me back, we all made our way into the living room and took a seat, Edward seating himself beside me and wrapping his arm around my waist. From there, with the help of Edward and Carlisle, I filled everyone in on everything that had happened. We told them about my father, about the Volturi and about their plans for me. There were a few shocked gasps and whimpers at my story, and Esme looked on the verge of tears. Once our twice during my story, she came over to hug me before I could carry on.

"So… what now?" Alice asked once we had told them everything.

"I'm to stay here until the police can get in touch with one my relatives," I said before my face quickly turned solemn. "Then I'll be sent off to who knows where."

Edward tightened his grip on me as I said this. I knew what was wrong with him. It was the same thing that was wrong with me. I didn't want to leave him. My home was wherever he was and his home was with me. We had been parted once and I couldn't bare for it to happen again. If I was sent to live with a relative, who knows what would happen to us.

"Oh," Alice said sadly. "But… I don't want you to go."

"Me neither," Edward whispered.

"Trust me, I don't want to go. I love it here," I said.

"Well," Carlisle started, suddenly standing up. "Whilst in Phoenix, Esme and I discussed something over the phone."

"What?" Edward asked, suddenly perking up with interest.

Esme and Carlisle gave each other a knowing look before they began to speak.

"We were wondering, and it's totally up to you, Bella, if you would like to stay here… with us," Esme smiled.

"You mean… live here… permanently?" I squeaked in happiness.

Carlisle nodded. "You're going to college soon anyway, so it's only for a while. And we would love to have you."

"Are you serious?" I asked, needing to know if this was real. This could not be a joke, surely.

"Very," Esme smiled. "That is, if you want to stay."

"Of course!" I screamed, throwing myself into Esme's arms.

I had a home… oh god, I had a home… with the Cullens… with Edward. I did cry then. I didn't care if I looked like a fool. I had a perfectly good reason to cry like this. I left Esme's arms and fell straight into Edward's, laughing my head off the whole way. I didn't know that you could laugh and cry at the same time, but this moment called for it.

I wasn't sure when it was, but everybody seemed to have left the living room, giving Edward and I some privacy.

He held me to him and kissed every inch of my face that he could reach. I could not stop laughing and giggling.

"My Bella," he said as he kissed my face. "My precious Bella. My beautiful angel."

"I'm here," I smiled.

"I love you so much, forever and ever."

"I love you too," I replied. "Always."

He laughed as he gently placed his lips on mine.

His words made my knees go weak and my sub-conscious was squealing her head off in joy. How had I ended up with such perfection as him? Perhaps he was to make up for all the bad that had happened in my life. Perhaps I was being allowed my little piece of heaven after all the hell that I had been through.

Either way, I would never leave him. I had finally found the meaning of my existence, the one thing that I live for. We belonged together and I would stay with Edward Cullen forever.


	30. Epilogue

_Hello!_

_A huge thanks to spannieren, gaby47, Sylvia Cullen, VainVamp, HealThisHeartbreak, lionlambnatz, misscullenwannbe95, Adrianna1120, sprinter1, Cullen0-Lover-101, Daphne83nl, TeamEdward76, pizza003, ilovemyhorse, secretobsession7, t-shirt n pants, mindreadingweirdoandCGreene, BabyBear08, animal8, Tommygrl1997 and cnelson for their reviews. Thank you so much guys!_

_A/N is at the end…_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight!_

* * *

Bella Swan's Point of View

"Where shall I put this box, love?" Edward called out to me.

"Uh… by the sofa will be fine," I replied as I continued stacking the book shelf with the many books down by my feet. The shelf was almost full and there were only a few more books to go. I was grateful, I'd been at this for most of the morning!

He carefully placed the box down where I had told him and stood back up, stretching his arms, letting out a breath.

"That's nearly all of them," he smiled.

"Thank god," I said in relief. "What's in that one?" I pointed to the box that he had just put down with visible curiosity.

"Just my CDs," he smiled.

Jeez, I didn't realize how many CDs he had! The box was huge!

"Ok, well bring in the rest of them and then set up the TV," I told him as I continued filling the book shelf.

"Will do," he said as he left through the front door, heading down to his car. I smiled to myself and carried on with my job.

Today was moving day, a day that I had been dreading and excited about all at the same time for months now. Considering it was just Edward and I living here, I couldn't believe how much stuff we had. It wasn't just the furniture, it was the personal things too, like Edward's CDs and my books. The two bedroom apartment was already small enough, and our things were only giving us less room. But I didn't care, this place was perfect. It was just mine and Edward's - our safe little haven and I couldn't be anymore pleased with it.

We had brought it with the money my mother had left me and money that Carlisle and Esme had given us. I was so pleased with the place and I couldn't wait until everything was moved in and set up.

We would be starting our first semester at Dartmouth next week, Edward studying Music and me studying English, so we had moved closer to the college. We were just down the road from the main campus and we both wanted to get everything moved in as quickly as possible. The furniture was pretty much done, it was just the little things that had to be settled in - books, ornaments, the TV. Edward was a little upset over the fact that he could not bring his piano with him, but he agreed to settle with a keyboard for now. I let him believe that because I didn't want to spoil his surprise… Esme and Carlisle were bringing his piano during their next visit and I was going to put it in the spare bedroom for him. I couldn't wait to see his face. I knew it would be a picture.

We had been 'moving in' for a grand total of four days now and the two of us were beyond tired, especially with the constant lifting of things. The bedroom and bathroom was done, it was just the living room and kitchen that had to be finished. I just wanted everything settled so that we could enjoy ourselves together before college started.

It had been a long 6 month wait between my return from Phoenix and moving to college, but it was the greatest time in my life, especially since I officially lived in the Cullen home for he entire duration; a home which I would now greatly miss. I spent every waking moment with Edward during that time and we could freely express our love and affection without fear of being found out. Esme would coo every time she saw us together and Emmett would constantly tease us saying he heard wedding bells heading our way. We both laughed that off. We weren't ready for that, we were only 18 for Christ sake. Alice however had a theory about Rose and Emmett being the ones hearing wedding bells. She was right. He proposed 2 weeks ago and they are getting married next year!

As for my dad… well, lets just say he's going to be locked up for a long time. All the Volturi are. 3 life sentences he got. One for murdering my mother, one for attempted murder on me and one for the crimes he had committed in the organization. I didn't have one ounce of sympathy for him. Good riddance to bad rubbish I said! I didn't need him anymore, I had a family who loves me. He was out of my life and he would never be in it again.

"Hey, love," Edward called as he re-entered the apartment, only a small box under his arm. I turned to look at him with a smile. "Mom and dad just phoned. They said they are coming over to visit at the weekend to help with the last of the decorating."

"Great!" I smiled. I had missed Esme and Carlisle since our move and so I was excited to see them again. They didn't realize how much they had helped me these past few months. I would be forever in their debt.

"And Alice says she misses you, but she _really _misses your cookies."

"What?!" I exclaimed. "I made them all at least 4 jars full before we left."

"Yeah, well you know Emmett and Alice," Edward said as he put the box down. He walked over to me and held me in his arms. "They eat them in less than 5 minutes." He kissed the top of my head.

I let out a sigh. "Well I suppose I could make some more for Esme and Carlisle to take back with them."

"I think they'd appreciate that," he chuckled.

_They better appreciate it! The things I did for the big teddy bear and the pixie…_

"Are you almost finished with the books?" he asked me sweetly.

"Almost," I said. "Just one more left." And upon the shelf I placed the first edition of 'Pride and Prejudice' that Edward had brought me for Christmas. This caused a joyful and full grin to appear on his lips and he held me tighter.

"Done?" he asked.

"Done," I replied happily.

"Good," he said contently. "Because I've been waiting to do this all day."

He lowered his head and pressed his lips to mine in a heart melting kiss. I smiled against his lips and moved to deepen the kiss, threading my hands through his magical bronze hair, tugging on it a little. He tightened his grasp on my waist and pulled me closer, sending delicious shivers down my spine. Lord, I would never tire of Edward Cullen!

We eventually pulled away, only for breath.

"You know," I started, breathing heavily. "You didn't have to wait to do that Mr. Cullen.

"Well perhaps I might carry on then, Miss Swan," he replied, giving me that lopsided grin I adored. This however only spurred me on and I crashed my lips once again to his. Our lips and tongues moved in perfect sync and I groaned when Edward suddenly picked me up bridal style. This caused me to break the kiss and give him a confused look.

"I have been lugging boxes around all day," he explained, his green eyes sparkling beautifully. "Now all I want to do is spend some quality time with my beautiful Bella."

That made me blush, his words always did. I would never get used to them. They caused butterflies each and every time.

"I love you," I whispered.

He smiled. "I love you too."

I grasped him tighter as he carried me into the bedroom, kissing my lips lovingly, closing the door behind him.

I would never regret everything that had happened to me throughout my life; I had to take the good with the bad. If everything hadn't happen, I would never have met Edward and my life wouldn't be as amazing as it now was. Sure, my life had been rough and full of depression and disappointments over the last few months, but when I wake up each morning and see his beautiful smiling face looking down on me, his eyes full of joy and love, then I know it was all worth it.

I loved Edward Cullen and I would spend the rest of my life with him. I knew it wouldn't be a smooth road from here, there would still be many ups and downs to encounter, but I knew I would be alright. He would be by my side through everything, keeping me grounded and loved.

And if I were honest… that's all I could ask for.

My Prince Charming…

My knight in shining armor…

My Mr. Darcy…

My Edward…

THE END!

* * *

_Well guys, that's it! We have finally come to the end! I just want to say a huge thank you to every single one of you who has reviewed, alerted, favorited or just simply read this story. It has been an absolute pleasure to write and I will really miss this story. I've loved it. So thank you all so much._

_As for a sequel, I have no current plans to do one… but that doesn't mean there won't be one in the future. I feel that all the characters have reached a good place in this story and I'm happy with where they all are. But if I do find an idea for a sequel at some point, I will not hesitate to start writing! As they say, never say never…_

_Also, if anyone is interested, I will be starting a brand new story soon. It will be called 'The Heart Asks Pleasure First' and I plan to upload it in about a week. I've already started work on it, so a week sounds about right. It will be another Edward/Bella story but I will be going down the vampire route this time and so I'm really excited about it. So if any of you are interested in any more of my work, or just the story in general, keep your eyes peeled! It will be up in about a week._

_I'm also on Twitter if anyone is interested. The link is on my profile._

_Thanks again to everyone and hopefully I will see you all soon. Just remember to all keep reading and writing! I know I will!_

_Love RachyDoodle xxx_


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